Liquidmetal – the ultimate bicycle frame material?

cat1commuter · 2012-04-23T13:39:01+01:00

I've been reading about Liquidmetal at their (no doubt) [url=http://www.liquidmetal.com/applications/sporting-and-performance/]hype filled website.[/url] I came across it mentioned as a possible material for the case of a future Apple iPhone, but they do actually mention bicycles, so it maybe isn't totally out of question. It does sound like a very interesting material. It is an amorphous metal alloy, and it is claimed that you can cast it in intricate shapes without the inferior mechanical properties that cast metal usually has compared to wrought and forged parts. Amorphous means that, like glass and unlike metals, it doesn't have a crystal structure. Junctions between crystals are where defects can form, which is where cracks develop and cause the structure to fail. I imagine that you might be able to cast a frame, like [url=http://www.classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Kirk_Precision.htm]Kirk Precision[/url] frames were meant to be. The ability to cast frames ought to help lower production costs, though I have no idea how great the challenges would be to make a successful production process. I imagine it could beat carbon fibre both in terms of weight, and the complexity of forms which could be created.

This topic has 9 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 3 months ago by Gkam84.

Creator

Topic
April 23, 2012 at 1:39 pm #15608

cat1commuter

I’ve been reading about Liquidmetal at their (no doubt) [url=http://www.liquidmetal.com/applications/sporting-and-performance/]hype filled website.[/url] I came across it mentioned as a possible material for the case of a future Apple iPhone, but they do actually mention bicycles, so it maybe isn’t totally out of question. It does sound like a very interesting material. It is an amorphous metal alloy, and it is claimed that you can cast it in intricate shapes without the inferior mechanical properties that cast metal usually has compared to wrought and forged parts. Amorphous means that, like glass and unlike metals, it doesn’t have a crystal structure. Junctions between crystals are where defects can form, which is where cracks develop and cause the structure to fail. I imagine that you might be able to cast a frame, like [url=http://www.classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Kirk_Precision.htm]Kirk Precision[/url] frames were meant to be. The ability to cast frames ought to help lower production costs, though I have no idea how great the challenges would be to make a successful production process. I imagine it could beat carbon fibre both in terms of weight, and the complexity of forms which could be created.
Creator

Topic

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

Sort:

Author

Replies
April 24, 2012 at 4:37 pm #675667
0

Gkam84

Here is an example of
Here is an example of catastrophic shear failure in cycling terms taken from a google search

April 24, 2012 at 3:22 pm #675665
0

cat1commuter

mad_scot_rider
mad_scot_rider wrote:
cat1commuter wrote:
… catastrophic shear failure.

Never heard the term before – but it does NOT sound good!

It is not. It is the failure mode of things like glass, cast iron or concrete. Most metals would fail gracefully – bending before they break.

April 24, 2012 at 8:46 am #675663
0

mad_scot_rider

cat1commuter wrote:…
cat1commuter wrote:
… catastrophic shear failure.

Never heard the term before – but it does NOT sound good!

April 24, 2012 at 8:26 am #675661
0

zzgavin

I think the cost angle is
I think the cost angle is significant, Apple tested the material out with the US iPhone4, the SIM release key is made from it, but only for the US market. Manufacturing with it is expensive too from what I’ve read. I suspect bike frames will come from this, but not until the volume manufacturing can deliver it in affordable amounts. It’s probably $100,000 for enough of it to make a frame now… plus the moulds and finishing

April 23, 2012 at 6:03 pm #675659
0

petejuk

The article at Discover
The article at Discover Magazine is interesting in that the defence industry is pursuing the possibility of producing ammunition from the process. If its successful we may see it in other manufacturing too. Until then, it is a distant possibility.

April 23, 2012 at 5:15 pm #675657
0

cat1commuter

I found a longer article at
I found a longer [url=http://discovermagazine.com/2004/apr/glassy-metals/]article at Discover Magazine.[/url] Seems there’s only two major problems: price and catastrophic shear failure.

April 23, 2012 at 4:47 pm #675655
0

SideBurn

farrell you are living in
farrell you are living in dreamworld….mind you if it had a gatling gun 😕 next time you get squeezed, cut up, generally pissed off 👿 “Go ahead punk” whoops wrong film 👿 “Hasta la vista baby” except no one gets hurt A Team style… Have I been watching too much telly?

April 23, 2012 at 3:27 pm #675653
0

Gkam84

It does mention it under the
It does mention it under the applications – sport bitty, at the bottom

Liquidmetal potential applications include:

Bicycles

Would be interesting to see a frame build from it

April 23, 2012 at 2:07 pm #675651
0

farrell

All I can think of when I
All I can think of when I hear ‘liquid metal’ is the T-1000 from Terminator 2. If they can bring out a bike that can shape shift at will then I am up for it. You could genuinely have one bike for all purposes. One minute you could be out on a sleek road bike, next minute you can throw it off road as you’ve changed it into a mountain bike.

Nipping to the shops? Just ride the bike down without any locks, turn it into a battered old bin and then when you come out, have it turned into a Christiana style cargo bike to lug all your shopping home.

Yes, I’d definitely by one of those.
Author

Replies

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.