Three groups of researchers have come together to be a material developed that 99.99 percent air. It weighs just of 0.9 milligrams per cubic centimeter, and the lightest metal and material in the world.
By the metal nickel as a three-dimensional framework build up, the material almost entirely from air. With its density of 0.9 milligrams per cubic centimeter of the new material is lighter than styrofoam, but still relatively strong. For example, the metal framework highly compressed and fully spring back. This would make it ultra-light metal, for example, as a shock absorbing material or as a sound proof material can be used. Also an application as a material for electrodes in batteries would be possible.
The new material was by researchers from HRL Laboratories, the American Irvine-university and the California Institute of Technology developed. They made use of a mold that was coated with nickel, after which the mold was weggeëtst. As a result, a framework of nikkelbuisjes with a diameter of 100nm. The researchers report not on the scale of the material can be produced and what the costs are. The material was in command of the Us military organization Darpa developed.
