"Polarize the Hull Plating!"

[Psion]

New material changes its strength in the presence of an electrical signal.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Fascinating... though from what it seems, it's not quite the same as forcefields

 

[sojourner]

If "not quite the same" means "not even remotely the same", then yes, you are correct.

 

[STR]

There was a electro-hardening ceramic announced several years ago. While this particular compound is metallic, it seems to work along a similar concept. Should be interesting as this new class of materials come to market. If we can get something as hard as diamond cheaply, there are numerous applications ranging from drilling to manufacturing equipment to artistic etching.

 

[KJbushway]

I'd be interesting to see what materials could come out of this and what eletrical science can come out also.

 

[Marc]

There was a electro-hardening ceramic announced several years ago. While this particular compound is metallic, it seems to work along a similar concept. Should be interesting as this new class of materials come to market. If we can get something as hard as diamond cheaply, there are numerous applications ranging from drilling to manufacturing equipment to artistic etching.

I'm sure the military would be interested especially if allows for a weight saving over traditional armour.

 

[KJbushway]

yes but it would take a power source that is always one. The military didn't even buy the Dragon scale bullet proof armour because it was too expensive, yet you could jump on a grenade with it and survive.

 

[KJbushway]

wait. why is the title Polarize the hull plating. All this energy does to certain medals is make the bend-able and easy to form.
The last thing you want a hull of a ship to do is become soft.

 

[sojourner]

^You uh, need to re-read the article.

 

[STR]

yes but it would take a power source that is always one. The military didn't even buy the Dragon scale bullet proof armour because it was too expensive, yet you could jump on a grenade with it and survive.

No, the Army and Air Force didn't buy it because it failed durability tests. It did not match the rating claimed by the manufacturer. It did pass Navy testing, but they went with the other services by buying interceptor armor.

 

[KJbushway]

wierd because I have seen actual demonstrations and it beats modern military vests which haven't changed much since the first Gulf war.

 

[KJbushway]

^You uh, need to re-read the article.

I may have said it messed up but

thus hard and brittle matter, for example, can become soft and malleable.

 

[Psion]

^You uh, need to re-read the article.

I may have said it messed up but

thus hard and brittle matter, for example, can become soft and malleable.

From the abstract:

... By polarizing the internal interface via an applied electric potential, we accomplish fast and repeatable tuning of yield strength, flow stress, and ductility. The concept allows the user to select, for instance, a soft and ductile state for processing and a high-strength state for service as a structural material.

 

[sojourner]

^You uh, need to re-read the article.

I may have said it messed up but

thus hard and brittle matter, for example, can become soft and malleable.

Yep, that's part of what it can do, keep reading.

 

[KJbushway]

No I understand I was just pointing out a part of the article that was just confusing.

 

[ThankQ]

The last thing you want a hull of a ship to do is become soft.

Maybe it was nervous.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

What's the problem with a soft hull? A brittle hull would be more unwanted. Wouldn't some softness allow it to better absorb the energy from hits? Plus, mending the hull in place would be much easier if it's malleable. Though it's not as good as a "self-healing" one -- if the cracks could simply join in one of the possible states.

Actually, due to the this thread, I just exchanged the hull of the starship in my book to a soft kind.