New Glass Tops Steel in Strength and Toughness

[BladeChemist]

So in other words, too soft to be a blade steel?

For now, but according to their figure this particular metallic glass is on the low strength/high toughness end of the potential range. Now that this paper is nearing publication we'll hopefully see this research group or others play around with the properties. Like was suggested there is the possibility to push this material beyond the strength (hardness) of any engineering steel while still remaining tougher. Of course, I have no idea if there are any other considerations beyond strength and toughness required for a knife blade.

I'd like to think I'll someday be cutting my way through a forest with a metallic glass blade at Rc 70 and the toughness of low carbon steel, but who knows .

Besides..if this system is restricted to Palladium dominant glasses you better take out a second mortgage. As of this post Palladium closed at $805/troy ounce.

From the chemical formula I calculated the % by mass of each component:

Pd: 89.603%
Ag: 4.024%
P: 1.981%
Si: 2.844%
Ge: 1.548%


Suppose it may someday make a good sword material with Palladium being over 50% denser than iron..thinner blade at the same weight would be like a lightsaber. Or more appropriately- "Bill Gate's Space Age Katana". Better start saving.

 

[Noctis3880]

Sounds like it would make a nice chopper, and I assume corrosion is non-existent given the lack of iron.

Still, not something I would want in a folder, and I don't ever expect to see it in a chopper given the price tag.

For me, wear resistance is a HUGE part of the equation. Even at Rc70, I wouldn't expect it to outperform S90V with a large volume of vanadium carbides at Rc90+ IIRC.

 

[BladeChemist]

Sounds like it would make a nice chopper, and I assume corrosion is non-existent given the lack of iron.

Still, not something I would want in a folder, and I don't ever expect to see it in a chopper given the price tag.

For me, wear resistance is a HUGE part of the equation. Even at Rc70, I wouldn't expect it to outperform S90V with a large volume of vanadium carbides at Rc90+ IIRC.

Good point- it's not really a composite or alloy with a defined grain or small hard domains- it's a glass which, by definition, is without a crystal structure (amorphous, vitrified). With that said, I wonder if it could be loaded up with cutting particles? Sort of like how Talonite/Stellite are chromium carbides in a relatively soft cobalt matrix? Except in this case, the matrix is already extremely hard and tough. Makes me wonder what kind of abrasives/particles are compatible with this glass.

Now I really want to keep an eye on this stuff.

 

[me2]

I couldn't get the hardness/strength converter to work. Just FYI, hardness/strength relationships are material specific. It's well known for steels, but probably not readily available for this material. Since the on line page wouldn't open for me, I don't know what scale was used or how the conversion was done. In other words, your estimate could be right on, lower, or higher than ~45.