|
METCOMB F.A.Q.
Q. How does Cellular Metal work? What are the benefits of this new material?
A. Metcomb cellular metal leverages nanostructures to deliver cellular strength to metal, mirroring the way
Mother Nature creates organic load-bearing materials, such as wood, bone and coral. It has unique properties
that make it ideal for a wide range of heavy-duty applications:
Strong yet light weight – enhances fuel efficiency
Absorbs energy – enhances safety
Reduces noise and vibration – provides a smoother, more enjoyable environment
Cleantech – non-toxic and 100 percent recyclable without degradation of quality
Highly usable material – can be molded in 3D near-net-shapes
Top
Q. When was cellular metal first invented?
A. The earliest patent on cellular metal date back to 1948 (Sosnick). Since that time, cellular metal, such as cellular aluminum, has been tested in
a number of automotive and engineering applications. In the past cellular metal lacked quality consistency and were
also cost prohibitive. Today, Metcomb's patented process ensures consistency and quality, making cellular aluminum
predictable and measurable for next-generation applications.
Top
Q. What is closed cell cellular aluminum?
A. There are two types of cellular aluminum — closed cell and open cell. Metcomb's closed cell aluminum is ideal for
applications in automotive, aerospace and other industries, as it can i.e. be cast around, which makes it well
suited for structural applications. This means it can be molded and shaped within an outside skin, whereas with
open cell, one cannot cast around it. Open celled metals are more suited for applications such as battery
electrodes, heat exchangers or filters.
Top
Q. Why is closed cell important?
A. Closed cell can be molded into any shape and is lightweight, which makes it is the only type of cellular metal that
can replace heavier metals in industrial-strength applications. For example, with its lightweight, energy
absorbing qualities, closed cell cellular aluminum can be used to enhance fuel efficiency or reduce vibrations in a car.
Moreover, it can enhance vehicle safety.
Top
Q. How does cellular metal compare to traditional aluminum or steel?
A. Cellular Aluminum is crushable and exhibits a plateau stress if compressed, which makes the material ideal for
converting impact energy into plastic deformation energy. Bulk materials like aluminum or steel cannot be
compressed. Metcomb s cellular aluminum is approximately 70-85% lighter than aluminum and 87-95% lighter than steel. Typically,
Metcomb products are used with a dense outer skin. Taking that into consideration, steel has a density of
7.8g per cubic centimeter and aluminum 2.7g per cubic centimeter. In comparison, Metcomb cellular aluminum products exhibit a
density of just .4-.9 g per cubic centimeter.
Top
Q. How is Metcomb unique?
A. Metcomb creates the only cellular aluminum with uniformly consistent output. This means that the properties of
Metcomb cellular metal allow for highly customized solutions with predictable performance for a wide range of industries,
including automotive, transport, military, construction and aerospace. The company's revolutionary manufacturing
process is efficient, simple and results in short production cycles.
Top
Q. What is Integrated Nanostructure Control?
A. Protected by five patents, Metcomb Nanostructures has developed its Integrated Nanostructure control process,
which leverages nanotechnology to create the only uniformly consistent closed-cell output. Integrated Nanostructure
Control is the first process that can allow for different, yet homogeneous cell sizes.
Different sized cells means that the cellular metal can be tailored- The properties of the cellular metal depend significantly on the size of
the pores/cells, so that a desired portfolio of properties can be tailored by changing the density. This makes
Metcomb cellular metal well suited for a variety of applications. Because the cell size can be controlled, applications using the
cellular metal can be tested and measured, offering predictable outcomes that are critical in vehicle safety and other applications.
Top
Q. How is this nanotechnology?
A. Nanotechnology generally describes products and processes involving the manipulation of materials 1-100 nanometers
across. (For example, a red blood cell is about 7,000 nanometers wide). Each cell, or bubble, in the Metcomb cellular metal is
protected by an oxide skin which is derived from gas during the Inegrated Nanostructure Control process. This solid oxide
skin is 10-90 nm thick and is critical to maintaining the stability of the cells.
Top
Q. Where will the cellular metal be used? In what industries?
A. Cellular Metal has the potential to replace heavier metal in applications across several vertical markets that include
automotive, transport, aerospace, and military and construction. Today, we are focusing our efforts on the automotive
market.
Top
Q. What is driving the need for cellular aluminum in the automotive market? Why now?
A. New car infotainment and electronic equipment that are making cars more enjoyable to drive are also making them
heavier, which has a direct impact on fuel consumption. Automotive manufacturers are trying to lighten cars to make them
more fuel efficient without compromising safety. For example, a study utilizing a Metcomb beam as door insert revealed
that up to seven pounds per door can be saved while providing a better door performance.
In addition, in Europe, the European Union requires manufacturers to meet pedestrian safety standards on all models of
vehicles with stricter requirements on the horizon. Japan is not far behind in this regard. So, for example metal foam
can be used in the hood of a vehicle to protect pedestrians from the hard engine block below.
Top
Q. How big is the market for cellular aluminum?
A. We have not estimated the total market; however in the automotive market alone, we currently see a $6B potential
market opportunity with double digit growth rates.
In addition, the National Science Foundation predicts that nanotechnology related goods and services could be a $1 trillion market by 2015.
Top
|
|
