It is in fact so light that is can sit atop a dandelion!!! Curious to find out more?
It’s called microlattice and was developed by HRL Laboratories (R&D for Boeing) originally for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
According to the researchers it’s structure was modeled to follow the paradigm set by human bones. It’s a 3D open-cellular polymer structure made up of interconnected hollow tubes, each with a wall 1,000 times thinner than a human hair.
In addition to its ultra-low density, the material’s cellular architecture gives rise to unprecedented mechanical behavior for a metal, including complete recovery from compression exceeding 50% strain and extraordinarily high energy absorption.
HRL Laboratories also announced today that it will develop new ultra-lightweight materials for future aerospace vehicles and structures under NASA’s Game Changing Development Program.
These new materials can enable NASA to reduce the mass of spacecraft for deep space exploration by 40 percent and are necessary for the journey to Mars and beyond.
Elias on tech, business and everything else... 