SuperconductingMaterialsThestoneageTheIronAge.Entireepochshavebeennamedformaterials.Sowhattocallthedecadesahead?Thechoicewillbetough.Welcometotheageofsuperstuff(超级材料).Materialscience--onc
SuperconductingMaterials
ThestoneageTheIronAge.Entireepochshavebeennamedformaterials.Sowhattocallthedecadesahead?Thechoicewillbetough.Welcometotheageofsuperstuff(超级材料).Materialscience--oncetheleastsexytechnology–isburstingwithnewpracticaldiscoveriesledbysuperconductingceramicsthatmayrevolutionizeelectronics.Butsuperconductorsarejustpartofthepicture:fromhouseandcarstocookpotsandartificialteeththeworldwillsomedaybemadeofdifferentstuff.Exoticplasticsglassandceramicswillshapethefuturejustassurelyashavegeneticengineeringandcomputerscience.
Thekeytothenewmaterialsisresearchers’increasingabilitytomanipulatesubstancesatthemolecularlevel.Ceramicsforexamplehavelongbeenlimitedbytheirbrittleness.Butbyminimizingthemicroscopicimperfectionsthatcauseitscientistsaremakingfarstrongerceramicsthatstillretainsuchqualitiesashardnessandheatresistance.FordMotorCo.nowusesceramictoolstocutsteel.AfirmcalledKyocerahascreatedalineofceramicscissorsandknivesthatstaysharpforyearsandneverrustorcorrode.
Asimilartransformationhasovertakenplastics.High-strengthpolymersnowformbridgesice-skatingrinksandhelicopterrotors.Andonenewplasticthatgenerateselectricitywhenvibratedorpushedisusedinelectricguitarstouchsensorsforrobothandsandkaratejacketsthatautomaticallyrecordeachpunchandchop.Evenplasticlitterwhichoncethreatenedtopermanentlyblotthelandscapehasprovedamenabletomoleculartinkering.Severalmanufacturersnowmakebiodegradableforms;someplasticsix-packringsforexamplegraduallydecomposewhenexposedtosunlight.Researchersaredevelopingwaystomakeplasticsasrecyclableasmetalorglass.Besidescomposites–plasticreinforcedwithfibersofgraphiteorothercompounds–madetheround-the-worldflightofthevoyagerpossibleandhaveevenbeenprovedincombat:ahelmetsavedaninfantryman’slifebydeflectingtwobulletsintheGrenadainvasion.
Someadvancedmaterialsareoldstandardwithanewtwist.Thenewestfiberoptic(光学纤维的)cablethatcarrytelephonecallscross-countryaremadeofglasssotransparentthatapieceof100milesthickisclearerth