January_2021_AMP_Digital

A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1 5 4 STRESS RELIEF ‘PARTNERS’ STATUE RESTORED AT DISNEYLAND Disneyland Resort revealed the refurbishment of its iconic Partners statue which has been restored to its original grandeur and stands in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland park. The beloved Partners statue, created by famed Disney sculptor Blaine Gibson, features Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse. Over time, the bronze had oxidized, and because of the ap- plied patina, acrylic polymer and wax, it required a more intensive process than just a simple cleaning or polishing. Over four days, an artisan utilized a process using crushed walnut shells to gen- tly strip the figure down to the bare bronze. After cleaning, various chemicals were applied and heated with a blowtorch to create a reaction and fuse with the bronze. The figure was coated in a poly- mer to protect the patina, then coated with a very thin layer of wax. disneyparks.disney.go.com . DESIGN SECRETS OF A NEARLY INDESTRUCTIBLE INSECT Researchers at the University of California, Irvine and other institutions have re- vealed the material components that make the diabolical ironclad beetle so indestruc- tible. “The ironclad is a terrestrial beetle, so it’s not lightweight and fast but built more like a little tank,” says principal investigator David Kisailus. The researchers learned that the bug’s secret lies in the material makeup and ar- chitecture of its exoskeleton, specifically, its elytra. Analysis showed that the elytra con- sists of layers of chitin, a fibrous material, and a protein matrix. In collaboration with a group from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, they examined the chemical composition of the exoskeleton of a lighter flying beetle and compared it to that of their earthbound subject. The diabolical ironclad beetle’s outer layer has a sig- nificantly higher concentration of protein, about 10% more by weight, which the re- searchers suggest contributes to the enhanced toughness of the elytra. The team also investigated the geometry of the medial suture joining the two parts of the elytra together and found that it looks very much like interlocking pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. They built a device inside an electron microscope to observe how these connections perform under compression, similar to how they might respond in nature. The experiment revealed that, rather than snapping at the “neck” region of these interlocks, the microstructure within the elytra blades gives way via delamination, or layered fracturing. Further microscopic examination disclosed that the outside surfaces of these blades feature arrays of rodlike elements called microtrichia that the scientists believe act as frictional pads, providing resistance to slippage. www.uci.edu . SUPER OVEN BAKES PIZZA IN 37 SECONDS Neapolitan pizza is usually baked in about 90 seconds at around 840° F. Swed- ish industrial heating company Kanthal built an oven that can make the pizza in only 37 seconds. The oven is built on the infrared heating principle, meaning that it uses electromagnetic radiation to heat up the object it hits. In addition to the electromag- netic radiation, there are reflectors that help to spread the heat. The oven has eight porcupine elements made from the iron-chromium-aluminum alloy Kanthal AF, four in the upper part and four in the lower part of the oven. The porcupine design of the spiral element provides good temperature uniformity as the radiant heat together with the larger surface of the coil contributes to a better performance of the elements The alloy was chosen for its exceptional shape stability at high temperatures together with very good oxidizing qualities. The element temperature is 1650° F. kanthal.com . The le photo was taken in 1993 at the statue’s original unveiling, the right photo shows the restored statue in 2020. The diabolical ironclad beetle’s exoskele- ton is one of the toughest, most crush- resistant structures in the animal kingdom. Courtesy of David Kisailus/UCI. Precise heating creates the perfect pizza crust – not too soggy or burnt. Courtesy of Kanthal.

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