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October 13, 2015 | by Tom Hale
photo credit: Boeing
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Aerospace giant Boeing has released a video showcasing the lightest metal structure ever, which is also one of the lightest materials known to science, called Microlattice.
The entire structure is 99.99% air and is comparable to the hollow honeycomb architecture of bone. The structure is composed of a network of super thin, hollow struts. The struts are around 100 micrometers in diameter and have walls just 100 nanometers thick. It's this design that makes Microlattice 10 times lighter than Styrofoam. However, despite it being insanely light, it is also extremely strong.
Microlattice was first announced in 2011 when a nickel-phosphorous alloy prototype was developed in collaboration between University of California, Caltech and HRL Laboratories – the Boeing-owned lab that built the first laser in 1960. As the video explains, this development has many possibilities, ranging from use in aerospace, high-performance vehicles, as well as shock absorption and vibration insulation.
Boeing Has Developed The Lightest Metal Ever | IFLScience

photo credit: Boeing
Share on facebook47.7K Share on twitter313 Share on reddit Share on google_plusone_share More Sharing Services
Aerospace giant Boeing has released a video showcasing the lightest metal structure ever, which is also one of the lightest materials known to science, called Microlattice.
The entire structure is 99.99% air and is comparable to the hollow honeycomb architecture of bone. The structure is composed of a network of super thin, hollow struts. The struts are around 100 micrometers in diameter and have walls just 100 nanometers thick. It's this design that makes Microlattice 10 times lighter than Styrofoam. However, despite it being insanely light, it is also extremely strong.
Microlattice was first announced in 2011 when a nickel-phosphorous alloy prototype was developed in collaboration between University of California, Caltech and HRL Laboratories – the Boeing-owned lab that built the first laser in 1960. As the video explains, this development has many possibilities, ranging from use in aerospace, high-performance vehicles, as well as shock absorption and vibration insulation.
Boeing Has Developed The Lightest Metal Ever | IFLScience