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http://aluminiuminsider.com/researchers-confirm-discovery-floating-aluminium/
Like most common metals, aluminium lacks natural buoyancy. However, with a little rearranging of the metal’s natural molecular structure, one can produce an ultra-light crystalline form of the metal that is actually less dense than water and, as a result, floats upon it.
Research conducted by Utah State University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry professor Alexander Boldyrev and published in the latest issue of The Journal of Physical Chemistry C has yielded just such a crystalline form using computational modeling.
“My colleagues’ approach to this challenge was very innovative,” explained Boldyrev. “They started with a known crystal lattice, in this case, a diamond, and substituted every carbon atom with an aluminum tetrahedron.”
Boldyrev’s colleagues, namely Iliya Getmanskii, Vitaliy Koval, Rusian Minyaev, and Vladimir Minkin of Southern Federal University in Rostov-on Don, Russia, confirmed the structure which is metastable and has a density of 0.61 grams per cubic centimeter. By comparison, conventional aluminium possesses a density of 2.7 grams per cubic centimeter.
(Score: 5, Informative) by c0lo on Tuesday September 26 2017, @08:08AM (19 children)
To be accurate, TFT should read: "Scientists Compute Buoyant Aluminum".
The abstract of TO(riginal)FA in the J. Phys. Chem. [acs.org] states:
No word of "have been realized/fabricated/brought into reality". It does NOT float on water, it would float on water.
At such large spaces inside the lattice I imagine the crystal bond energy will make it reactive enough, because other lower energy states are stable (and this was computed as a metastable state)/
As such, I expect that the material will never exist in the presence of oxygen - even when in the more dense crystalline form, aluminium forms an oxide layer over its surface. With increases spaces, I suspect oxygen will be able to penetrate deeper into the lattice and react, freeing an energy that will quickly "push down the energy well" the (supposed) material from its metastable state towards the more dense stable state.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Informative) by qzm on Tuesday September 26 2017, @08:28AM (1 child)
That foamed Aluminium floats on water.
As does Aluminium honeycomb.
As of course does an Aluminium hull boat.
Hell, we have inter-island barges with concrete hulls..
And yes, I know thats not QUITE what they mean, but it goes point out how stupid the headline is.
(Score: 3, Funny) by FatPhil on Tuesday September 26 2017, @08:40AM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday September 26 2017, @08:37AM (16 children)
Some lucky bastard is going to get the funding to play around with this and other experiments.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday September 26 2017, @10:05AM (6 children)
Which may not be that bad.
After all, mass collapse from a metastable state is at the very base of lasers.
E.g. I wonder what catalytic activity such a complex may show during the collapse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2, Interesting) by khallow on Tuesday September 26 2017, @12:32PM (5 children)
It's not a catalyst, if an irreversible process happens to it. Should be able to power certain kinds of reducing endothermic reactions. Might be reactive enough to strip the oxygen off of carbon dioxide though I imagine there are a bunch of reactive metals that have that property.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday September 26 2017, @01:33PM (3 children)
Not a catalyst if it is consumed in the reaction.
Otherwise, catalysts can become inactive [sciencedirect.com] over the reaction time and need to be reactivated
In this case, the aluminium may not be consumed as a substance in the reaction, but may need to be reactivated by "blowing it up" again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday September 26 2017, @07:30PM (2 children)
The reactivation is the reversal of the process. And it is usually something simple like heating, washing, or mechanically shaking the catalyst.
"Blowing it up" isn't going to be a simple process and may involve as much energy as a normal chemical reaction.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday September 26 2017, @09:58PM (1 child)
Which may worth doing if the reaction is entirely exotic - i.e. does not happen except in the presence of blown up aluminium.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday September 26 2017, @11:16PM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 26 2017, @09:20PM
Magnesium will burn in a carbon dioxide atmosphere.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by MostCynical on Tuesday September 26 2017, @10:07AM (7 children)
"Blew up small containment vessel and laboratory.
Conclusion: need more funding for larger laboratory and containment vessel."
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday September 26 2017, @10:17AM (6 children)
And it will happen if it shows potential for military applications.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Tuesday September 26 2017, @10:36AM (5 children)
All new, non-recyclable coke cans! Get em before they're too hot to handle!
For the military, I can see it all depending on how controlled the (inevitable) state change will e this stuff could make a great alternative to compression ignition for bullets. - no hammer needed just something to penetrate the protective layer.
Does anyone know if "meta" in metastable really just means "theoretically"?
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday September 26 2017, @11:05AM (4 children)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2, Touché) by c0lo on Tuesday September 26 2017, @11:40AM (3 children)
I'm yet to see a metastable feminist.
Maybe I need to see one during her deepest slumber, while heavily sedated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 26 2017, @03:56PM
It's a very transient state. Just after the finish of a rant, there is a very brief pause before the intake of breath that powers the next rant.
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Wednesday September 27 2017, @01:55AM (1 child)
Hold on - which one of you is sedated?
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday September 27 2017, @03:34AM
Interesting perspective.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by VLM on Tuesday September 26 2017, @11:52AM
I wonder if the hole size is big enough to make an interesting filter.
I wonder if a surface like that would have exciting catalytic properties.