Team: 18
School: La Cueva High
Area of Science: Chemistry
Proposal: Crystalline metals exhibit properties that make it impossible to measure true strength. The grain boundaries of metals prevent accurate measurements of bond strength and thus yield strength. Therefore, for most metals, the relative yield and bond strength at an atomic level is unknown. Modern tests for metal strength are based on physical durability tests and are largely inaccurate on the atomic scale.
This property doesn’t hold true for amorphous metals, types of alloys with a large disparity in atomic sizes which results in a fluid-like structure with strong bonds. Vitreloy is a strong amorphous metal; it has been measured to have greater tensile and yield strength than titanium alloys. Due to its amorphous structure, vitreloy’s atomic gridlock pattern enables it to efficiently absorb and reflect energy minimum loss. We will simulate the structure of vitreloy through assortments of Zr, Be, Ti, Cu, and Ni in order to measure its strength on the atomic bonding level. With this knowledge, vitreloy can be used in greater effect.
Mentors: Timothy L Thomas
Team Members:
Mario Sumali
Rahul Chalamala
Charles Zhou
Berkan Dokmeci
Sponsoring Teacher: Yolanda Lozano