Nano structured high dynamic stiffness mateirals opens new possibilities for advanced mechanical structures

Engineering materials are usually mapped by their elastic modulus and lossfactor in the stiff-loss map (R.S. Lakes 1999). Most of materials have either high elastic modulus or high lossfactor, and it is a research objective in material science to develop high loss modulus materials.

Machine tools, for example, are strongly affected by the so called 'regenerative tool chatter' problem.

Embedding high loss modulus materials in critical node regions of mechanical structures can effectively improve a machine tool's damping property by suppressing 'regenerative tool chatter' without reducing a tooling structure's static stiffness. The damping phenomenon is provided by the interfaces which are maximized in nano structured composites. Metal matrix compositeswere clamped to be a smart choice for obtaining high loss modulus materials.

Latest developed materials by Plasmatrix possess 40GPa elastic modulus and 8% lossfactor comparing to 110GPa and 1.5% for that of cast iron. With a loss modulus of approximately 3.2 GPa, the material's loss modulus is way higher than most of available engineering materials existing on the market and stated in research papers.