Improving bulk metallic glass by maximizing surface

Yale University researchers have figured out a way to refine bulk metallic glasses to improve their electrochemical performance. Results of the research, based in the lab of chemical and environmental engineering professor André D. Taylor, are published in the Dec. 21 issue of Advanced Materials. Bulk metallic glass (BMG), also known as amorphous metal alloy, exhibits superior mechanical properties and great formability under low temperature compared with general alloys. Numerous efforts have been applied to develop these materials for biomedical devices, high efficiency transformers, and for products that require high-strength materials, such as golf clubs. Image courtesy of Advanced Materials, from the paper "Guided Evolution of Bulk Metallic Glass Nanostructures: A Platform for Designing Three-Dimensional Electrocatalytic Surfaces." Working with the lab of Yale professor Jan Schroers, Taylor pioneered the use of BMGs as catalysts in fuel cells. BMGs have the strength of metal, but can be shaped like a plastic, so they can be used to form nanowires and achieve high-surface areas.