QuesTek brings its “ Mettle” to glass in new DARPA initiative

Under funding from the DARPA Structural Amorphous Metal (SAM) initiative, QuesTek Innovations is working with Boeing to utilize its Materials by Design® technology to create a novel amorphous aluminum alloy for aerospace applications.

Structural Amorphous Metals (SAMs) represent a new class of materials produced at low cooling rates whose structure, unlike that of conventional metals, is amorphous or "glassy." Amorphous metals are not confined by limitations of crystalline materials, and therefore, behave the opposite of conventional materials. Because of their novel microstructure, amorphous alloys exhibit unique combinations of properties, e.g., hardness, strength, damage tolerance, and corrosion resistance. This DARPA initiative seeks to understand and leverage the properties of SAM materials for defense and commercial applications.