Amorphous Metal

An amorphous metal has varying sizes of atoms in a random arrangement in the solid, which decreases the number of dislocation slip planes. One consequence of this atomic gridlock is that some amorphous metals are very hard. The ball bearing bounces on the amorphous metal as if it were on a trampoline, while it bounces only a few times on a stainless steel base.

Clicking a thumbnail on this web page (http://chemistry.beloit.edu/edetc/cineplex/amorphous/index.html) shows a movie of that demonstration.

Two identical steel balls are dropped. The base on the left is stainless steel. The one on the right is amorphous metal. The types and arrangements of atoms in the amorphous metal enable it to act like an atom ic trampoline.
Taller tubes in a new window.

Two identical steel balls are dropped. The base on the left is stainless steel. The one on the right is amorphous metal.

The stainless steel base.

The amorphous metal disk is glued on a stainless steel base.

The mixture of atom sizes in the amorphous metal acts like speed bumps and potholes.

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