Jan 16 2013
The Tellus Science Museum, a Smithsonian Institute-affiliate in Cartersville, Georgia, has unveiled their new “Space Spinoffs” gallery featuring the performance benefits of amorphous alloys as developed by Liquidmetal® Technologies, Inc., the world’s leading developer of amorphous alloys and composites.
The museum’s Space Spinoffs gallery provides visitors an up-close look at many of the products we use every day that are based on technology originally developed to advance NASA’s space program. These products range from insulated firefighting gear, artificial heart pumps and GPS technology to vacuums, sporting goods and sunglasses.
The exhibit highlights the unique characteristics of Liquidmetal Technologies’ amorphous alloys, which were initially developed from research jointly funded by NASA, the California Institute of Technology and the U.S. Department of Energy. It describes Liquidmetal alloy as a new class of material that is sparking an industrial revolution much in the same way as the invention of steel or plastics.
The exhibit explains that the name of Liquidmetal is derived from the fact that the alloy acts like metal, with twice the strength of titanium, but has a liquid (amorphous) atomic structure that behaves like plastics. This presents a unique combination of properties, such as “high hardness,” elasticity, light weightiness and resistance to corrosion and abrasion. The exhibition also highlights the performance advantages of using Liquidmetal alloy in various sporting goods, including Liquidmetal golf clubs, as well as in watch and cell phone casings.
In December 2012, Liquidmetal Technologies partnered with a leading original design manufacturer (ODM) to introduce the next generation of golf club design. The clubs will feature the “pure energy transfer” of Liquidmetal amorphous alloy, which allows for long, forgiving shots off the tee, with more precise overall performance.
“Since its inception, our nation’s space program has made significant contributions to society and technology,” said Julian Gray, curator of Tellus Science Museum. “Our objective with the Space Spinoffs exhibit is to highlight these contributions and educate visitors on the broad range of applications and products we use on a daily basis. Liquidmetal Technologies presents a prime example, as they have developed a number of commercial applications from this space-age alloy, which likely would not have been possible if it were not for the NASA space program.”
“The superior hardness and elasticity of our Liquidmetal amorphous alloy makes it the ideal material for a range of applications, from sporting goods to aerospace, military, and consumer electronics,” said Tom Steipp, Liquidmetal Technologies’ president and CEO. “So, we are very proud and excited to see the performance advantages of our technology being recognized by the Tellus Science Museum and made available to the public to learn more about.”