Exotic alloy of gallium teach you to save the form

Such metal as gallium is not only well-known chemical element with atomic number thirty-one, but also one of the lightest metals. As research shows, such a metal, such as gallium, is never found in pure form in nature, however, in bauxite and zinc ores sometimes contain compounds in very small quantities.

Gallium is an interesting metal, it is very soft and ductile and is characterized by a silver color. One of its interesting features is that it is solid only at low temperatures, and at a temperature not much higher than the room, it begins to melt. Beginning of melting in the studies was recorded when the temperature is twenty-nine and eight-tenths degrees Celsius.

Using this information, the Australian engineers have produced a unique nanocoating that makes any drops of this alloy, as galinstan, to maintain the originally imparted shape, even after rather strong deformation. A few words must be said about galinstan: this is a very low-temperature alloy of metals such as gallium, indium and tin that was created when the melting point minus nineteen degrees Celsius. It is quite common as a safe analogue of such a substance, such as liquid mercury.

Through many years of research, scientists were able to obtain from Gulistan such a drop that all the forces trying to maintain their normal spherical shape and look exactly like metal. Without special coating such droplets after a direct fall on any hard surface immediately lose their shape, turning of the balls in a conical shape. But after applying nano-sized powder of Teflon drops begin in the fall bounce like real balls. In addition to this powder in the research took part tungsten oxide, indium, zinc, and carbon tube, only nano-sized Teflon powder gave such amazing results.

Scientists discovered an interesting phenomenon until you can confidently talk about any real practical application of this discovery is in industry or electronics, but thus obtained a springy drops have proven to be excellent conductors of current, and therefore, most likely, they are waiting for a great future in flexible electronics.