Imagine ships and boats being made out of a metal that could never be sunk. A material which even with holes all around it had buoyancy, and as such, would always floated back to the surface.
First, let’s talk about what makes a boat float. In order for a boat, or ship to float above water it has to displace more water than its weight. Meaning that if a boat weighs x, it has to displace water equaling x + 1. Certain vessels use this approach, plus something called positive buoyancy (think submarines). You can achieve positive buoyancy by using sealed tanks filled with air. Air is much lighter than water and as such, will float to the top.
This unsinkable metal uses a similar principle. Using nano-lasers, it etches the metal in such as way, as to create a surface large enough for air molecules to attach onto itself, and small enough to repel water molecules.
The video is super cool and really opens up the possibilities for marine vessels. What would you do with it?
