TED-ED: What is metallic glass? - Ashwini Bharathula

The video explores the properties of steel and plastic, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. It introduces metallic glass, a material combining the best of both worlds, being strong like steel and shapeable like plastic. Metallic glass has unique properties due to its amorphous atomic structure, which lacks the grain boundaries found in crystalline metals. The video discusses the history of metallic glass, its production challenges, and the development of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). Despite their potential, BMGs face challenges such as high costs and brittleness, but advancements could make them more viable for various applications.

What are the key properties of metallic glass that make it stand out from traditional metals?

• It is transparent and non-conductive.

• It is magnetic and rusts easily.

• It is as strong as steel and as shapeable as plastic.

• It is lightweight and floats on water.

How does the atomic structure of metallic glass differ from that of most metals?

• Metallic glass has a crystalline structure.

• Metallic glass has an amorphous structure.

• Metallic glass has a layered structure.

• Metallic glass has a fibrous structure.

What is the primary challenge in producing bulk metallic glasses (BMGs)?

• They are made from expensive and pure metals.

• They require extremely high temperatures to form.

• They are made from inexpensive and impure metals.

• They need to be cooled very slowly to prevent crystallization.

Why are BMGs not yet used for load-bearing applications like bridges?

• They are too heavy for such applications.

• They can fracture without warning under high stress.

• They are too flexible and bend easily.

• They are not resistant to high temperatures.

What advancement has allowed scientists to create thicker BMGs?

• Blending metals with very different atomic sizes.

• Using a single metal with a uniform atomic size.

• Blending metals with similar atomic sizes.

• Using metals that crystallize quickly.