lab at boeing fabricates microlattice - the 'lightest synthetic metal ever made'

lab at boeing fabricates microlattice –  the lightest synthetic metal ever made
all images courtesy of boeing

aerospace specialists boeing revealed a material they are calling ‘the lightest metal ever made’ – mircolattice. the metal is actually a nickel-phosphorus alloy that is coated onto an open polymer structure. the polymer is then removed, leaving a structure that consists of 100nano meter thick walls of the nickel-phosphorus, thus being 99.99% air. while it’s structure makes it strong, it’s light enough to balance on top of a dandelion. framed around a rigid outer layer and mostly hollow inner composition, scientists looked to human bones to create a 3D open cellular structure. this arrangement makes the metal lightweight and very hard to crush. boeing hopes the strength and lightness make it a potential metal for future planes and vehicles.

the metal design is heavily influenced by the human bone structure 

the metal under pressure testing