Title: Metal Rubber: the new age nanomaterial

Authors: Rajesh Purohit, Divya Gosain, Gauri Gupta, Rakesh Sagar

Addresses: Department of Manufacturing Process and Automation Engineering, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, Sector-3, Dwarka, New Delhi 110075, India. ' Department of Manufacturing Process and Automation Engineering, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, Sector-3, Dwarka, New Delhi 110075, India. ' Department of Manufacturing Process and Automation Engineering, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, Sector-3, Dwarka, New Delhi 110075, India. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India

Abstract: Metal Rubber is a new nanotech material, crafted and patented by NanoSonic Inc. It is filmy brown, with the dual properties of being conductive like a metal and shape-retentive like rubber. It can extend to three times its original length and weighs less than 1% of its steel equivalent. Metal Rubber can keep its capacity in extreme environments such as high temperature, high pressure, high vacuum, ultra-low temperature, radiation and violent vibration. Metal Rubber is fabricated using a molecular self-assembly process, called Electrostatic Self-Assembly (ESA), that can produce thin film materials with nanoscale level molecular uniformity with precise control of their physical properties. Metal Rubber could revolutionise flexible circuits and make all electronics, whether in robots, medical devices, or airplanes, far more resilient and resistant to fatigue. It can be employed in shape-shifting aircraft wings, artificial muscles in prostheses and for abuse-resistant flexible electronic circuits and wires and strain sensors. Metal Rubber aircraft wings will possess the ability to significantly change their respective surface area – altering it up to 150% through the morphing process.

Keywords: Metal Rubber; ESA; electrostatic self assembly; aircraft morphing; flexible circuits; nanotechnology; nanomaterials; fatigue resistance; nanomanufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2008.023178

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2008 Vol.2 No.6, pp.659 - 666

Published online: 12 Feb 2009 *

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