Strengthening Silver with Copper

Oct-04-19 A clever method of taking advantage of the defects in silver has resulted in a material that has pushed past the metal’s theoretical boundaries.

Although defects contribute to a material’s eventual decay, attempts to counter them by combining different metals usually results in decreased conductivity. To overcome that limitation, the team from the University of Vermont mixed silver with a tiny amount of copper, which settled into the silver defects and prevented them from moving without interfering with electron transfer.

According to the team, the technology could have applications that range beyond strengthening silver, such as more efficient solar panels and lighter aircraft. “This is a new class of materials and we’re just beginning to understand how they work,” says co-lead author Frederic Sansoz.

Image: University of Vermont - A model of the atomic structure of the silver grains, full of copper impurities (green) that line themselves up inside defects

More Info about this Invention:

[NEWATLAS.COM]
[UVM.EDU]

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