Metal: Silver and gold may seem to have taken the throne but when it comes to building a strong automobile industry, it is base metals that take the lead. These have proven to be the key to success in terms of constructing durable structures and lasting vehicles. Read on to find out why metal is becoming increasingly popular in the automobile industry.
Motorcycle chrome
Characteristics of Metals
Chemical Properties
Can form alloys
Enables and speeds up various chemical reactions
Adds attributes to plastics such as flame resistance, decreased degradation rate etc
It is a well known fact that the environmental conditions of outer space are completely different from that of our planet. This is why durable materials such as steel are used to construct all tools and machinery that are used in outer space.
From space exploratory probes to the tiniest component of a space station, you will find steel everywhere. The reason behind this is that steel is capable of enduring high pressure and temperature and is least susceptible to corrosion as compared to other materials. It is thus, due to the utilization of steel and other metals, that space travel has become possible for humankind.
The Utilization of Steel in the Aerospace Industry
There are various components that are made out of steel in the aerospace industry. Steel is the choice of manufacturers in this regard since it is capable of withstanding very high temperatures and pressure changes which will melt other metals.
The following gives you a precise idea about the uses of steel in the aerospace industry.
Steel is used to create components such as jet engines which provide power to rockets and spacecrafts.
Given the durability of this metal, steel is also used to construct airframes.
Numerous alloys can be made with steel that enhance its properties.
The fuel tanks of space rockets are made out of steel. This is so because it does not react chemically with the fuel stored in the tanks.
The most crucial component that plays a pivotal role in maintaining the lifespan of the space rocket and also, the lives of the crew; is the heat shield. Made out of solid steel, this heat shield is responsible for tackling the aggressive thermal and pressure changes that the rocket experiences while traversing different layers of the atmosphere.
With so many uses, steel is the best material for vehicular construction in the aerospace industry. See the wikipedia article for more information regarding aerospace: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerospace
It is a well known fact that had it not been for the extensive usage of various kinds of metal, our commercial flights would not have been as durable as they are now, and that fighter jets would not be as efficient at their jobs as they currently are. Given its extra long life and strength, the most reliable material for the construction of any tool or machinery is metallic in nature.
This is the reason that ever since humankind found its way into aeronautics, metal has been extensively used to carry out the design of various items such as overhead bins, propulsive components, navigational tools etc.
Commercial Aeroplane
Advantages
The various advantages of using metals in the aerospace industry are:
Extension of the total range of flight
Helps in radar evasion
Non corrosive
Increasingly tolerant to harsh chemicals
Low flammability
Increased resistance to radiation
Increased tolerance towards pressure changes
Higher ductility as compared to ceramics and other materials
Excellent electrical conductance
Enhanced aerodynamics
What Are They Used For?
Various components of aircraft’s use metal components. From the body of the aircraft’s to the various navigational tools installed in these planes, metal is found everywhere.
Some of the metals that are the top notch choice in the Aerospace industry are aluminum, nickel, titanium, steel and nickel. These are used to make landing gear parts, critical fasteners, wing components, and hydraulic tubing. These metals also give excellent performance in outer space. We have also found good information about metals and how to treat them on this page http://www.tantec.com/surface-treatment-of-metals.html . But what is equally important, is how these metals are treated, in order to make them so durable. In any case, you will have to treat the surface of the metal, in order to paint it, or to increase adhesion.
The End Note
In today’s world where the economy is volatile, and where you have to keep durability in your mind, using metal is the ideal solution to cut back on the costs of constantly having to construct replacements. Also, using metals makes aircraft’s more durable and safer for travel. This is why this material is a good replacement for the conventional use of metallic alloys.
The application of plasma treatment is not limited to the laboratories anymore. It has proven to be a basic tool needed for production since its invention. In the past, plasma treatment was used to fabricate microelectronic devices at first and then later opted by the medical, plastics, automotive and textile industries, etc. for various purposes i.e. surface activation, cleaning, etching, coating etc.
Below you see a video of the PlasmaTec-X device. A universal plasma device, that has many different applications, and that can be used in many industries:
In today’s world, plasmas are consistently used for treating plastic surfaces, cleaning syringe needles made out of stainless steel, and treating plastic lenses, performance textiles, balloon catheters for angioplasty, filter media, and golf balls with a diversified range of other products. Plasma treatment is so common that you would have trouble locating a product that’s not been through this process before finishing.
Plasma treatment is also used in:
Consumer electronics
Industrial electronics
Medical and biomedical industries
Fabrics and textiles
Hydrophilic coatings
Filtration
Automotive and aerospace industries
Creating an energy source
Repellant coatings (liquid) and many more fields.
Plasma Cleaning
Plasma cleaning is a method whereby a high energy stream is directed towards the surface that needs to be cleaned. The stream oxidizes any organic depositions present on the surface through oxygen plasma. Applying an inert gas plasma or argon plasma can also mechanically scrub away the deposits. Depending on the cleaning requirements, a diversified range of gases or a mixture of gases can be used to serve the purpose.
Activated plasma ions and atoms act like a sandblast that’s molecular in nature, breaking down the wall of organic contaminants present on a surface. During processing, these contaminants are vaporized yet again leading to evacuation from the enclosure. The intensity of a plasma treatment may depend on the flow rates of gas, vacuum degree, reactor geometry, pump speed, and diluents and reactants, etc.
Plasma cleaning can be used for:
Removing surface oxidation
Preparing surfaces of elastomers and plastics
Cleaning ceramics
Cleaning metal surfaces on a hyperfine level
Surface preparation of glass products e.g. ophthalmic items
Do you know how plasma treatment or corona surface treatment works? If not, you should attend our technology seminar this June in Nürnberg, Germany.
At the seminar, there will be theoretical talks but also a demonstration of the results of plasma and corona treatments.
Plasma and corona treatment improves adhesion and wettability on plastic and metal surfaces. To bond plastic materials to other materials, or to print on a plastic surface, you need to change or raise the surface energy to make it possible for the adhesives to attach.
The theory behind plasma and corona, contains a change of the surface structure of materials, generated by a high voltage electrical discharge. We will also show the difference between plasma and corona and we can explain when plasma is most efficient to use and when to choose corona instead. To show you the result of a plasma and corona surface treatment, we are bringing our equipment to demonstrate the effect on different surfaces.
Traditionally, cleaning processes involve the application of wet chemical techniques which mostly consists of using aqueous surfactant solutions. These techniques are used to rid a surface of contaminants that may be organic or inorganic in nature along with acids that are used to define bonding surfaces and cleaning assistance.
Sadly, using aggressive surfactants and water that’s de-ionized and highly purified for rinsing, does not clean the contaminated surfaces completely. That’s because the chemicals and acids used for cleaning the surface only replace the contaminants with their own residue. Therefore, to overcome this problem without causing much damage to the surface, cleaning plasma is used for ultra-fine cleaning of ceramics, metals, and other such materials involving a critical surface condition.
Cleaning plasma is used for surface preparation by clearing the surface of residues of mineral oil or contaminants that are far more organic in nature. This leads to the improvement of the surface’s quality on the whole along with being environmentally friendly and essentially dry in comparison with cleaning based solely on aqueous or solvents.
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