Materials of the future:

Let’s look at strength-to-weight ratio

If you read yesterday’s newsletter you will have seen our new baseball bat design based on high strength / low weight (relative) coral.

Yes, the coral you see whilst snorkelling in Cairns, Australia.

When researching the topic, we found a lot of really useful information and thought we would summarise it into a newsletter that you can refer to time and time again.

Here is a summary of some of the world’s best materials for high strength to weight ratio.

Received this from a colleague? 🧑🏻👩🏼‍🦲👵🏽👳🏾‍♂️👧🏿

What is strength-to-weight ratio

Good old Wikipedia…

The specific strength is a material's (or muscle's) strength (force per unit area at failure) divided by its density. It is also known as the strength-to-weight ratio or strength/weight ratio or strength-to-mass ratio. In fiber or textile applications, tenacity is the usual measure of specific strength.

The SI unit for specific strength is Pa⋅m3/kg, or N⋅m/kg, which is dimensionally equivalent to m2/s2, though the latter form is rarely used.

THE LIST:

So this is a quick email. One packed full of information, but cutting straight to the chase.

What are the world’s strongest and lightest materials?

Keep in mind that the choice of material often depends on the specific application, as different materials might be better suited for different purposes. The values presented are approximate and can vary based on factors such as material processing, testing methods, and specific alloy/composite formulations. Additionally, the "strength-to-weight ratio" is a simplification and doesn't account for all the nuanced mechanical properties that might be relevant for specific applications.

Anyway, enough caveats.

Here's a ranking of materials known for their combination of high strength and low weight:

• Graphene: Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice. It is incredibly lightweight and boasts impressive strength. However, its practical use is still in the research stage for many applications due to challenges in manufacturing and handling. A rough estimate might be around 130 GPa for tensile strength and 0.77 g/cm³ for density, resulting in a strength-to-weight ratio of approximately 168,831.

• Carbon Nanotubes: Carbon nanotubes are extremely lightweight and have an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. They are made of carbon atoms arranged in a tubular structure. Their tensile strength is incredibly high, making them one of the strongest known materials. Estimated tensile strength of around 63 GPa with a density of about 1.3 g/cm³, resulting in a strength-to-weight ratio of about 48,500.

• Aramid Fibers (e.g., Kevlar): Aramid fibers like Kevlar are lightweight and have high tensile strength. They are often used in body armor, ropes, and other applications where strength and light weight are crucial. Tensile strength can range from 2.5 to 3.6 GPa, with densities around 1.4 to 1.45 g/cm³, resulting in a strength-to-weight ratio of approximately 1,724 to 2,571.

• Ceramic Matrix Composites: These composites combine ceramic fibers with a ceramic matrix. They can have excellent high-temperature strength and are used in aerospace and other high-performance applications.

  • Carbon Fiber Reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) Composite: Tensile strength of carbon fibers: ~3.5 GPa Density of C/SiC composite: ~2.0 g/cm³ Estimated strength-to-weight ratio: ~1,750

  • Oxide Ceramic Matrix Composite: Tensile strength of ceramic fibers: ~1.5 GPa (e.g., alumina fibers) Density of oxide ceramic composite: ~3.0 g/cm³ Estimated strength-to-weight ratio: ~500

  • Carbon Fiber Reinforced Alumina (C/Al2O3) Composite: Tensile strength of carbon fibers: ~3.5 GPa Density of C/Al2O3 composite: ~3.0 g/cm³ Estimated strength-to-weight ratio: ~1,167

• Boron Nitride Nanotubes: Similar to carbon nanotubes, boron nitride nanotubes have exceptional mechanical properties, including high strength and low weight. Estimated tensile strength is around 3.5 GPa with a density of about 2.1 g/cm³, resulting in a strength-to-weight ratio of approximately 1,667.

• Magnesium Alloys: Magnesium alloys are known for their low density and good strength. They are commonly used in lightweight structural components. Tensile strength varies from 150 to 600 MPa, with densities around 1.7 to 2.0 g/cm³, resulting in a strength-to-weight ratio of about 75 to 353.

• High-Strength Steel Alloys: High-strength steel alloys offer a good compromise between strength and weight. They are commonly used in various industrial and construction applications. Tensile strength can vary widely from 300 to 2,000+ MPa, depending on the alloy, with densities around 7.6 to 8.0 g/cm³, resulting in a strength-to-weight ratio of about 37.5 to 263.

• Fiber-Reinforced Composites: Composites made from high-strength fibers (like carbon or glass fibers) embedded in a lightweight matrix (such as epoxy) provide a balance of strength and low weight. Examples include carbon fiber composites. Strength-to-weight ratios can vary depending on the specific composite configuration, but they can generally range from 100 to 600, depending on the combination of fibers and matrix materials.

• Titanium Alloys: Titanium and its alloys are widely used in aerospace and medical applications due to their excellent strength-to-weight ratios. They are lighter than steel but still very strong. Tensile strength can range from 300 to 1,000+ MPa, depending on the alloy, with densities around 4.5 to 5.0 g/cm³, resulting in a strength-to-weight ratio of approximately 60 to 222.

• Aluminum Alloys: Aluminum alloys are lightweight and have good strength. They are used extensively in aerospace, automotive, and structural applications. Tensile strength ranges from 100 to 700 MPa, depending on the alloy, with densities around 2.6 to 2.8 g/cm³, resulting in a strength-to-weight ratio of about 36 to 269.

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