In fact, it is difficult to determine what the hardest material in the world is. Depending on what type of strength we are discussing - tensile strength or shear toughness? Yield strength or hardness Therefore, the definition of strength is not unique, we will introduce the following ten materials, from different angles to analyze its strength.
10, diamonds
In terms of hardness, diamonds can be described as unparalleled, which is why it is basically impossible to be scratched. Diamonds are formed by the close together of carbon atoms, which are often used for drill bits, sandpaper and saws, etc., can be cut, grinding, polishing and so on. However, although the diamond is the hardest, but not the most powerful, when you hit it with a hammer, it will be broken into pieces.
09, spider silk
Spider silk has a very high tensile strength. It can withstand higher than the steel pull, but also can be stretched very long. The highest strength spider silk comes from Madagascar's Darwin bark spider, which makes one of the world's largest spider webs.
08, carbon / carbon composites
There are many kinds of carbon-carbon composites, but all the materials have good strength. They can resist the huge tension, can also absorb a lot of force before cracking. Because of its very light quality, so this complex can be used for aircraft engines, can also be used for space shuttle shell and intercontinental ballistic missile head cone.
07, osmium
Osmium is a platinum group of metal chemical elements, when the osmium monomer is obtained, it is a very hard metal, with blue, and hexagonal crystal structure. It can be used for pens, electrical contact, etc., can also be used in areas requiring extreme durability and hardness.
06, martensitic aging steel
Martensitic aging steel with high strength and toughness, and has a good ductility, they can be used for aerospace and mold and so on. Martensite aging refers to the aging of martensite, hard tissue often appear in steel.
05, metal glass
This glass is made of palladium microalloy and has a chemical structure that, while maintaining its strength, can counteract the inherent brittleness of the glass. Its density is not high, and lighter than steel, and aluminum and titanium almost.
04, wurtzite type boron nitride
The structure of the wurtzite boron nitride is very similar to that of diamonds, but diamonds are formed by carbon at high pressure for a certain period of time while wurtzite boron nitride is formed at high temperature and high pressure conditions during volcanic eruptions. Hardness is 18% higher than diamonds. Similar to diamonds, wurtzite boron nitride can be used in areas where cutting tools and the like require very high hardness.
03, hexagonal diamond
This may be the hardest material of nature. It is similar to diamonds, is composed of carbon atoms, but its arrangement is not the same. The hardness of hexagonal diamond is 58% higher than that of diamond.
02, graphene
Graphene also has a single layer of carbon atoms, arranged in a honeycomb. In its crystalline form, graphene is the highest in the measured material. The manufacture of graphene is difficult, but scientists have been able to obtain screen-sized graphene sheets by chemical vapor deposition, where graphene grows on copper substrates. Its potential applications include for displaying screens and more.
01, vulcanized alkyne
Even if it is only a string of a single atom, but the vulcanized acetylene tensile strength is twice the graphene precursor, tensile stiffness is three times the diamond. It is stable at room temperature and can be predictably crosslinked with other chains when stored together. Although its structure is simple, but its strength is 200 times the steel.