Swiss researchers experiment with metallic glasses on board the ISS

(CONNECT) Empa is conducting several tests with metallic glasses as part of the European Space Agency's (ESA) THERMOPROP project. In addition to researchers from Empa and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, an industrial partner is also on board, according to a statement from Empa. The PX Group from La Chaux-de-Fonds manufactures metallic glasses for the watch industry, which uses these hard, flexible materials for precise mechanisms and robust cases.

These glasses are created by the particularly rapid cooling of metals. They are as hard as quartz glass and their smooth surface is particularly resistant to scratches and corrosion. At the same time, they are also elastic. According to Empa, this makes them a sought-after material for applications in medicine and space technology.

Even better manufacturing processes require a more precise understanding of the physical properties. This is why the team, under the aegis of Prof. Dr. Antonia Neels, is investigating the physical properties of metallic glasses in their liquid form. This is only possible by eliminating the Earth's gravitational pull, because gravity would deform the round droplets and thus falsify the measurements. At Empa, Neels heads the Center for X-ray Analysis and at ESA the THERMOPROP project.

The scientist emphasizes the concrete applicability of this research: "The data from the experiments on the ISS flows into computer simulations, which in turn can be used to develop and optimize industrial processes. Our partner has already been able to incorporate our findings from the project into improved manufacturing processes."

But this knowledge also finds its way into spaceships and satellites. In a second project with ESA called SESAME, material samples were exposed to the harsh conditions in space on the outside of the European laboratory module Columbus. "We want to know whether a longer stay under space conditions changes the structure of the material. Because the structure defines the material properties," says Damien Terebenec, who is researching metallic glasses with Neels at Empa. Both experiments will probably run until the end of the ISS in 2030. The projects are being carried out as part of ESA's Program de Développement d'Expériences Scientifiques (PRODEX) and are also supported by the Swiss Space Office. ce/mm