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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 | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1 1 0 METALS | POLYMERS | CERAMICS The scientists took the architec- ture of nacre and replicated it with lay- ers of glass flakes and acrylic, yielding an exceptionally strong yet opaque ma- terial that can be produced easily and inexpensively. They then went a step further to make the composite optically transparent. “By tuning the refractive index of the acrylic,” they explain, “we made it seamlessly blend with the glass to make a truly transparent composite.” As next steps they plan to improve it by incorporating smart technology allow- ing the glass to change its properties, such as color, mechanics, and conduc- tivity. www.mcgill.ca . Electron backscatter di raction was used to image pure titaniumwith a nanotwinned structure produced via cryo-forging. Courtesy of Andy Minor/ Berkeley Lab. NANOTWINNING TITANIUM Researchers at the DOE’s Law- rence Berkeley National Laboratory discovered they could use a method called cryo-forging to manipulate pure titanium at nanoscale and at ultra-low temperatures to produce extra-strong “nanotwinned” titanium without sacri- ficing any of its ductility. According to the researchers, this study is the first time a pure nanotwinned structure was produced in bulk material. The re- searchers put the newly formed mate- rial through a series of stress tests and used the Molecular Foundry’s electron microscopes to uncover the source of its unique properties. During these tests, they found that nanotwinned tita- nium had better formability because it can formnew nanotwin boundaries and undo previously formed boundaries, both of which help with deformation. They tested the material to extreme temperatures up to 1112°F and found it maintained its structure and prop- erties, demonstrating the versatility of the material. Swagelok Company, Solon, Ohio, held a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 24 to celebrate its new global headquarters. The 124,000-sq-ft facility includes an innovation laboratory and the Edward A. Lozick Customer Collaboration Center, which are connected to the company’s newly renovated main plant. swagelok.com. BRIEF At super-cold temperatures, nano- twinned titanium can withstand more strain than normal titanium. The re- searchers found that nanotwinning doubled the metal’s strength and in- creased its ductility by 30% at room temperature. At super-low tempera- tures, the improvement was even more dramatic—the nanotwinned titanium was able to double in length before fracturing. Fabricating nanotwinned titanium using cryo-forging is poten- tially cost-effective, scalable for com- mercial production, and produces an easily recycled product. From here, the researchers hope to take their new pro- cess and determine if it can be applied to other metals . lbl.gov. SEASHELL-INSPIRED GLASS Looking to the inner layer of mol- lusk shells, scientists from McGill Uni- versity, Montreal, created stronger and tougher glass. Instead of shattering upon impact, the new material has the resiliency of plastic and could be used to improve cell phone screens in the fu- ture, among other applications. Inspired by nature, the scientists created a new glass and acrylic com- posite material that mimics nacre or mother of pearl. “Amazingly, nacre has the rigidity of a stiff material and du- rability of a soft material, giving it the best of both worlds,” says researcher Allen Ehrlicher. “It’s made of stiff piec- es of chalk-like matter that are layered with soft proteins that are highly elas- tic. This structure produces exceptional strength, making it 3000 times tougher than the materials that compose it.” Glass microstructure (top) and nacre microstructure (bottom). Courtesy of McGill University.