Metals strengthen with increasing temperature at extreme strain rates. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38778107/)

These scientists wanted to understand how the strength of materials changes when they are tested at very high speeds. They used a special technique called microballistic impact testing to test the strength of metals like copper, titanium, and gold. They found that when these metals were tested at extremely fast speeds, their strength actually increased when they were heated up.

This was surprising because most materials become weaker when they are heated. The scientists discovered that this increase in strength was because of a change in how the materials deformed when they were heated. Instead of getting weaker as expected, the metals became stronger due to a different way that defects in the materials moved around.

By studying this, the scientists hope to be able to better predict how materials behave in extreme conditions, like in high-speed manufacturing or in hypersonic transport. This knowledge could help us make better materials for different purposes in the future.

Dowding I., Schuh CA. Metals strengthen with increasing temperature at extreme strain rates. Nature. 2024 May 22. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07420-1.