Amorphous Alloys in Robotic and Aerospace Applications

Conventional materials used both for highly complex, technically feasible kinetics and for implementing simple but highly stressed mechanical concepts are reaching their limits in many areas of today's high-tech applications due to their limited mechanical properties. Enabled by their exceptional combination of high strength (1.6 GPa tensile strength) and high elasticity (up to 2%), many of these problems can already be solved today by amorphous alloys. Elastic machine elements in particular benefit from the property portfolio of amorphous metals. Bending joints and hinges, gripper units or spring components can be used efficiently and assembled with a long component life due to the fatigue strength (in the range of 400 MPa at 1 billion cycles and 25 Hz) and wear resistance of amorphous alloys.

Key requirements for components in the aerospace industry are not only weight savings and high stability, but also the ability to withstand cyclic loads in extreme environmental conditions. Amorphous metals are characterized by their high strength (> 2GPa bending strength) and the resulting freedom in geometric design (thinner or smaller component dimensions) as well as high corrosion resistance compared to commonly used titanium alloys or stainless steels. In addition, components made of amorphous metals are low-temperature ductile and exhibit good fatigue strength values (in the range of 400 MPa at 1 billion cycles and 25 Hz) making them particularly suitable for use in space applications.