- Researchers have developed a new material that is extremely resistant to cutting tools.
- The material, called Proteus, is a combination of ceramic and aluminum spheres.
- Proteus is durable against cutting wheels, bits and even water jets.
Safes, locks, and other items designed to provide security and theft protection are generally constructed of highly resistant materials. That generally means hardened metals or other material resistant to destruction. Unfortunately for all of us, there really isn’t any material that can provide totally unbeatable protection, but researchers have created a new type of material that has a very special trick up its sleeve.
Rather than focusing on pure force, researchers in Europe designed a material that actively fights cutting tools by using them at blazingly fast speeds. Even something like a cutter wheel can be quickly hit by the material, which its creators say is the first “non-cut manufactured material” ever made.
The material is a unique combination of aluminum and ceramic that its inventors call Proteus. Aluminum is a “metallic foam” that has small ceramic spheres embedded throughout. This may not seem so difficult to cut, but in reality it is actually a brilliant design.
“In testing, Proteus could not be cut by angle grinders, drills, or high-pressure water jets,” the researchers write. “When cutting with an angle grinder or drill, the interlocking vibratory connection created by the ceramic spheres inside the casing blunts the cutting disc or bit. The ceramic also breaks down into fine particles, which fill the cell structure of the material and harden as the speed of the cutting tool increases. “
The team compares cutting through Proteus with “cutting a jelly filled with nuggets,” which is a rather strange analogy, but we’ll move on. They say that ceramic spheres create vibrations in the cutting tool that quickly deteriorate it, be it a cutting wheel or a drill bit. As for their resistance to waterjet cutting, the spheres actually extend the water when hit, decreasing the power of the water and decreasing its ability to cut the material.
A video demonstration showing a cutter wheel trying to better protect Proteus shows how difficult it is to cut. As you can see, the wheel manages to get to the surface of the material, but progress stops quickly. The grinder wheel breaks quickly until it wears out and needs to be replaced.
It seems that the material would be ideal for applications such as safes, but it may not be as powerful for security elements such as padlocks, since there is still something to “give” that would allow cutting small sections. In any case, it is an interesting invention and one that could be useful in consumer products at some point.
Mike Wehner has reported on technology and video games for the past decade, covering the latest news and trends in virtual reality, handheld devices, smartphones, and future technology. Most recently, Mike served as technical editor at The Daily Dot, and has appeared on USA Today, Time.com, and countless other websites and in print. His love of reporting is second only to his addiction to games.
.
