UCLA researchers have come up with a light-weight impressively strong metal, using magnesium and silicon carbide nanoparticles. The team of researchers has said that the metal created by using silicon carbide nanoparticles on molten magnesium has an amazing strength-to-weight ratio.

The availability of magnesium is abundant due to which the commercial production of the metal is possible. As per ULCA team, the metal can bring in a revolution in sectors, including automobile, aviation, manufacturing and construction. As the metal is light in weight, thus it can be used in automobiles for enhancing their fuel efficiency.

The research team didn’t use micro-particles instead it used nanoparticles of silicon carbide. Silicon carbide is a very strong material that is used for cutting blades manufacturing.

Nanoparticles are quite tiny particles that have extrinsic properties. One of the properties they have is the tendency to boost the strength of metals without harming their plasticity, mainly light metals such as magnesium.

Nanoparticles have a tendency to clump together because small particles can attract each other, rather than dispersing evenly. So far, no scientist has ever succeeded in dispersing ceramic nanoparticles in molten metals.

However, for the first time ever, researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have become successful in creating new metal by infusing magnesium with solid silicon carbide nanoparticles. The result is exceptionally strong light-weight metal, featuring high specific strength and modulus.

The newly discovered metal is likely to have major implications in manufacturing of mobiles, electronics, airplanes, cars and many more.