1. Eleazar Gaona Jr. Materials Science MEEN 3344 Fall 2009
Metal Rubber
Eleazar Gaona Jr.
Materials Science
MEEN 3344
Fall 2009

2. What is Metal Rubber
This new patented material was created by researchers at Virginia Tech and a company called NanoSonic. Metal rubber can be heated, frozen, washed or even doused in jet fuel and it will still retain its electricity conducting properties.

3. How’s it made
Metal rubber is made by undergoing a process called “electrostatic self-assembly”. This process is done by taking the base material, and repeatedly dipping into positively charged and negatively charged solutions. By dipping the base material into baths of alternating electrons and protons, those nano-particles with opposite charges attract and stick to each other like Velcro.

4. Metal Rubber Properties
Metal rubber is highly elastic and is chemically stable. It can be stretched to about % of its original length. You could heat it up 700 degrees Fahrenheit and it still wont burn. Lowering the temperature to -160 degrees Fahrenheit and it will still maintain its properties. It also maintains its shape and remains electrically conductive, even after millions of cycles at nominal strain.

5. Future applications for Metal Rubber
Scientists are looking more into uses of metal rubber. Abuse-resistant products such as cell phones, flexible circuits and even bendy, electrically charged aircraft wings for aircraft. Although the cost for metal rubber is very expensive, it sells around $1,000 for every six-inch square.

6. References