Professor Akihisa Inoue (Japan), a leading global expert on bulk glassy alloys, and nonequilibrium metallic materials, has been invited to head a new MISIS branch, the Advanced Green Materials Laboratory. He will oversee young researchers’ efforts to create iron-based amorphous and nanocrystalline materials with high soft magnetic properties, ultra high strength bulk metallic glass that will be much stronger and more elastic than existing steels, as well as wear- and corrosion-resistant anti-irradiation coatings. These materials could be used to make parts for micromotors and electrical transformers, and protective coatings for equipment parts that operate in aggressive media.
One of the priorities at the laboratory is the creation of new soft magnetic materials, the magnetization of which can be reversed without major energy inputs. The use of these materials could greatly increase energy efficiency. It is a fact that the loss of energy in the magnetic cores of electric equipment such as engines/motors and transformers amounts to 3.5 percent of global energy consumption. The magnetic steels that are used in 95 percent of cases have approached the limit of their soft magnetic properties. Considering the growing demand for electricity and the depletion of natural resources, researchers are working to create new soft magnetic materials with amorphous and nanocrystalline structures. The alloys they are creating are based on cheap metals such as iron (Fe), boron (B) and silicon (Si), which explains the high interest in their industrial application. Moreover, these alloys will be much stronger, harder and wear-resistant than their crystalline analogues.
Professor Akihisa Inoue told RIA Novosti that he had been working on metallic glass, including bulk glassy alloys, since 1974. During that period, science has moved a great distance from the first results of fundamental research to the commercialization of novel technologies. The professor said that he would be working with young NUST MISIS researchers to create metallic glass with improved characteristics, such as high soft magnetic properties, high saturation magnetic flux density, high strength and plasticity.
The first commercial batch of bulk metallic glass will be produced in 2021.
