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Why Take A Job With LQMT Liquidmetal?!!
And also, we have new hires with good backgrounds. Whether they fall into the exact category we'd like, you have to ask why anyone would sign up to a company headed for failure if they had the credential for a much better job.
Tax Loss Selling... Interesting!
What we are experiencing is the effect of tax loss selling.
It's Counterproductive To Refrain From Posting Positive Facts
I'll do my best to keep this post on point, about LQMT/Liquidmetal and in line with the IHub TOS policy.
Liquidmetal stock holders have been on a steady down hill ride from day one, over 10 years ago; the LQMT ten year chart is the exact opposite of the 10 year AAPL chart (ironic we are contractual partners with Apple).
Anyone that bought & held LQMT Long at ANY point in time is underwater, this is a fact.
I've had my super positive days in LQMT as well as my super negative days in Liquidmetal, but always have kept my posts relevant.
The real irony on this board is that all the "Positive DD" has failed us and the "Negative Wiggle Giggle DD" has turned out to be accurate (so far).
LQMT is a crap shoot at this point, it makes me sick that Liquidmetal has hired another C-Level/VP type and still is sinking in debt but maybe Liquidmetal has a plan to succeed that we are unaware of, IDK.
To have positive DD and go back channel with it is counterproductive, why leave the IHub readers in the dark with increasing negative "doomsday" posts dominating, that can't help anyone.
My belief is that all relevant posts should stand, positive & negative.
If one poster believes that the golf club deal is going to be huge, go ahead and post your enthusiasm in our thread and if another poster believes it's a farce and the wiggle giggle dance is doing the R/S Macarena when we hit the nickel store, go ahead and share your thoughts.
BOTH of these scenarios are as realistic as the next when it comes to LQMT Liquidmetal.
ONE big real recurring contract = a double, triple or more overnight...
The LACK of one big real recurring contract = dilution and a drop to a nickel...
There is no "middle ground" any more in our LQMT Liquidmetal investment, it's not like a Blue Chip that meets the street and stays flat, LQMT is either going to a nickel (or less) or going to a quarter (or more) but not staying flat.
There are/were some fantastic DD posters here a few months ago that have been laying low. Maybe mad at the drop in stock price, maybe sold out and are elsewhere, maybe feeling silly that all that DD hasn't come to fruition, who knows but if you guys have some good DD, toss it out here in our IHub LQMT thread and let's vet it out guys.
It can't hurt at this point gentlemen.
No problem OoO!!!
Just following the rules and keeping the ship straight!
I don't mind the pumping posts (they make me happy actually) or the bashing posts (which make me wiggly giggly), just don't need the "Chili" posts... lol!
Keep up the good work my friend!
Awesome!!! We Need More Executives at LQMT Liquidmeatal!
http://proxy.liquidmetal.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=130649&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1766172&highlight=
Liquidmetal Technologies Appoints Bruce Bromage as SVP of Business Development and Operations
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 11, 2012-- Liquidmetal® Technologies Inc. (LTI) (OTCQB: LQMT), the leading developer of amorphous alloys and composites, has appointed Bruce Bromage as SVP of business development and operations. Bromage has served as a strategic marketing consultant to Liquidmetal Technologies since June 2012.
Strategic Dilution
lqmt can't stop the dilution at this point. The R/S is coming and thats why those sellers keep dumping. My guess lqmt heads under .10.....rareF
Unreal, I'm at a Loss for Words
Liquidmetal Consumer Goods Versus Liquidmetal Industrial Applications
For a client to contract with LQMT, there needs to be either economies of scale as in a very large order that's recurring or a very mesurable difference in the quality/performance Liquidmetal brings to the table where the price increase is not an issue.
Emeril endorsing a Liquidmetal knife is something I could see working if in fact the volume would also be there to bring the pricing in line (higher, sure, but reasonably higher).
In the LQMT near term, it seems the industrial, medical, aerospace applications may pan out first.
Agreed, That's Why People Don't Lend Tools!
Well if people bought liquidmetal knives and used them for food preparation like they are intended then they should be great.
If the morons use it as a screw driver then thats their own fault if they break. Thats like using an iphone as a baseball in a ball game. What do u think would happen.
Liquidmetal Shatters
That doesn't make any sense to me. I thought liquidmetal was supposed to be the strongest and toughest metal out. So what is the truth? If its tough enough to be possibly used as chain saw blades then why is it not tough enough to cut a tomato?
Personally i dont think those people have any idea what they are talking about. Just like none of us here know what the hell is going on.
Liquidmetal Knives
Just came across this message board while searching the Internet for Liquidmetal information for our LQMT IHub thread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/676856-Liquidmetal-knives
Although this message board is a knife board, the posters seem to know a bit about Liquidmetal to my surprise. Some of the posts are from many years ago but discuss the same limitations with Liquidmetal alloys that we still discuss today!
Here are a few portions of a few posts:
The knives around that are made from LM are supposed to be exellent slicers, but would not make good hard use knives becuase they just aren't that tough. Plus, while the edge retention is exemplary, the ratio of edge retention to ease of sharpening is outdone by many other proper steels.
As with ceramics, there's a reason the stuff never caught on.
Ah. I haven't read Blade in a long time, so that's why I hadn't seen it. It's interesting, though, to see the number of steels that were supposed to be the next big thing that never panned out. Liquidmetal, ceramics, Talonite, Cowry X, CPM S90V, they've all pretty much vanished.
The biggest problem with amorphous metal (its more proper name, and yes it is metallic) is that since it doesn't have a crystalline structure it didn't have any sort of scratch pattern to the edge. It was just smooth, and would just slide off of things. It would push-cut very well, however.
The brittleness is something that's being addressed with the latest generations of the stuff. They've found that introducing microscopic hair-like structures of steel into the matrix works like horsehair in plaster to help hold it together. The problem with the unaltered Liquid Metal is that, again, the lack of a crystal structure is that it doesn't deform under strain--it cracks.
From what i've heard industry is using it to make cell phone bodies!
The Ducks Indeed Are Lining Up Sandy!!!
Lots to start getting enthusiastic about people. 240K Sq Ft facility, Apple moving its production to the US, Swatch increasing its contract, 55 more patents in for approval.... The ducks are lining up nicely.
JULY 2013..YAHOOOOOOOO
Bulk Metallic Glass Paper from Stanford University
Here's a paper from the Reinhold H. Dauskardt Research Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering.
There is not a date on it that I could find, but I do not recall seeing it posted here previously.
http://dauskardt.stanford.edu/kathy_flores/BMG/bmg.html
Introduction
Example of a crystalline atomic structure. Four grains are illustrated. In each grain, the atoms form an orderly lattice. The grain boundaries are one example of a crystalline defect. Example of an amorphous structure. The atoms are arranged in a random fashion, similar to their arrangement in the liquid state.
Amorphous metals, also known as metallic glasses, have existed in thin ribbon form since the 1960's. Metallic glasses differ from conventional metals in that they lack crystalline structure. The atoms in the amorphous structure are randomly arranged, like in a liquid, rather than sitting on a repeatable, orderly lattice. This lack of crystalline structure means that metallic glasses also lack crystalline defects, such as grain boundaries and dislocations. Without these "weak spots", metallic glasses exhibit extraordinary mechanical properties, magnetic behavior, and corrosion resistance.
Because the equilibrium structure for a metal alloy is always crystalline, amorphous metals can only be produced by rapid cooling from the liquid state. Until recently, the cooling rates required were on the order of 105-106 K/s, which limits the thickness of a fully amorphous alloy to fractions of a millimeter. The resulting ribbons and wires are used extensively as transformer cores and magnetic sensors, but the small dimensions limit the structural applications of the material.
The recent development of bulk metallic glasses (BMG's) has opened the door for use of these fascinating materials in structural applications. These alloys require cooling rates of only 1-100 K/s, so fully amorphous castings up to a centimeter thick can be manufactured using conventional casting methods. While there are numerous potential structural uses for these alloys, little is know about their mechanical properties and the micromechanisms of failure.
Our work at Stanford is focused on a Zr-Ti-Ni-Cu-Be bulk amorphous alloy. Tensile strengths of 2 GPa and fracture toughness values of ~20 MPaÖm have been reported. With a density of 6.1 g/cm3, this BMG has a higher strength to weight ratio than steels and most titanium alloys. The alloy exhibits almost no plastic strain at failure, but typically shows up to 2.5% elastic strains. This ability to elastically store large amounts of energy per unit volume makes the alloy an excellent spring. In fact, it's first commercial application is as a golf club head.
Our goal is to understand the micromechanisms which control the mechanical properties in the BMG, and in doing so determine ways to improve the properties. Current programs explore the fracture and fatigue behavior of the alloy, with an emphasis on understanding crack tip deformation processes and environmental effects.
Fractography
Plastic deformation in metallic glasses is generally associated with inhomogeneous flow in highly localized shear bands. Fractographic evidence from tensile experiments strongly suggests that under high strain rate conditions, local melting occurs during unstable fracture. Even under slower loading rates, a veined fracture surface indicates a decrease in the glass viscosity.
Failure surface from a tensile sample which exhibited cup and cone type fracture. The droplets are indicative of localized melting under the higher strain rates associated with this experiment. Fracture surface from a typical fracture toughness experiment. The vein pattern suggests a decrease in the glass viscosity resulting in highly localized flow processes on the crack plane.
Fracture Behavior
Due to the highly localized nature of flow and the lack of microstructural features in the metallic glass, shear band formation typically leads to catastrophic failure. Obviously, there is great interest in developing mechanisms for stabilizing the shear bands. To examine shear bands in a more stable environment, we have examined the deformation zone associated with fracture processes. Fracture toughness measurements using compact tension (C(T)) and single edge notched bend (SEN(B)) samples have resulted unstable fracture at toughness values of 15-20 MPaÖm. However, by using a single edge notched tension (SEN(T)) sample to modify the plastic strain field at the crack tip, a stable damage zone of branch cracks is formed. This increases the apparent toughness significantly, to over 100 MPaÖm in some instances. Surprisingly, this damage zone is well contained within the classical plastic zone. By modeling the crack branches as an array of parallel cracks in an infinite plate, we have determined that the cracks grow at a local stress intensity of 10-15 MPaÖm, in good agreement with the results from the C(T) and SEN(B) samples and a meniscus instability model.
58 MPaÖm
81 MPaÖm
116 MPaÖm
In situ images of crack tip branching in an SEN(T) sample during a fracture toughness experiment. The stress intensities refer to the main crack tip.
Plasticity Induced Heating
The obvious softening of the fracture surface has led several researchers to conclude that shear band formation is associated with localized heating. To examine this effect, infrared imaging techniques have been utilized to capture the spatially resolved surface temperature increase associated with crack tip plasticity as well as the subsequent heat dissipation. Temperature increases of more than 20 K have been measured, and conduction models indicate that a peak temperature increase of 139 K may have been reached. This is in excellent agreement with the Rice and Levy model for local heating at a propagating crack tip.
In addition to the heating associated with plastic deformation, a cooling zone is visible ahead of the crack tip. This is consistent with thermoelastic cooling effects.
Infrared Images of Crack Tip Heating
(Note: Movie repeats every ~10 seconds)
KC = 20.9 MPaÖm
Da = 0.960 mm
DTmax = 22.5 K
DTmin = -0.5 K
Capture Rate = 50 Hz
Image is 7.68 mm x 7.68 mm
Temperature Change (K)
LQMT Liquidmetal IS Taking Steps Forward!!!
We Longs have been wanting to see REVENUE; I get it, me too but we are going in the right direction now!
Swatch renewed with LQMT and is in "full recurring production" according to Steipp and now we have the Golf angle in the works along with another ~8-10 prototypes being evaluated (per Steipp).
Thing ARE progressing!!!
The Swatch deal may not produce significant revenues to propel our LQMT stock price but and who knows about the Golf situation but at least we are SELLING into the market place.
If further dilution happens, it's better if we go up a few pennies and drop back to current levels after dilution, we all own this here today so if in a few months we are still here we should not be complaining.
Am I Still on your "Top 5" List, or did Yamasushi bump me out??
At Least One Mac to Be Made in US: CEO Cook
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/least-one-imac-made-us-153416784.html
After years of manufacturing its popular products abroad, Apple plans to bring production for one of its Mac computer lines to the United States next year, company CEO Tim Cook revealed in an interview with NBC News.
Tim-CookIn the midst of a withering political debate in the United States about the toll that outsourcing is taking on domestic workers, Cook told NBC's "30 Rock" news magazine that his company has been "working for years on doing more and more in the United States."
(Read more: Apple Shares Smacked Into Bear Market by Margin Rules)
As a result, the tech giant plans to relocate production of one of its Mac lines to the United States in 2013. However, Cook remained vague which of the company's five different versions of its Mac hardware would ultimately make the leap across the globe.
Cook's comments effectively confirmed a report from earlier this week. The iFixit website disassembled a new Apple iMac, discovering a prominently displayed stamp that said "Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in the USA." Those fixtures normally say computers are assembled in China. (Read more: Apple Assembling iMacs in US?)
Apple's manufacturing process has come under increasing scrutiny amid unflattering headlines about Foxconn, the Taiwan-based contract manufacturer that makes products for Apple. Foxconn's facilities in China have been undermined by reports of worker unrest and poor working conditions.
Separately, Cook told Bloomberg Businessweek that Apple will spend $100 million to move production of the iMac line to the U.S. from China.
Also Swatch Re-engaging LQMT!
Still a "new" positive developement!!!
Apple to spend $100,000,000.00 on USA Manufacturing!!!
On CNBC NOW (1:04pm today), stated by Tim Cook!
Cook said that a line of Apple's Mac computers will be manufactured in the U.S. in 2013.
WILL be, period!!!
Good possibility for VPC!!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/06/apple-manufacturing-usa-macs_n_2249613.html
Apple / Manufactured in the USA
Just on the TODAY SHOW...from a segment of the Brian Williams Program. Tim Cook of APPLE announced that next year one of the MAC COMPUTERS will be made in the United States and they will continue to bring more products into the United States to be made. Connect the LQMT dots as you will.
Wow, A PR & Conference & LQMT STILL Closed Down!
After being out of town yesterday and staying away from the markets/boards, I return to a down day... Crazy!
I intentionally didn't access the markets/boards from my iPhone yesterday as I was visiting relatives and didn't need the distractions as they were my focus, not LQMT. If LQMT got cut in half, although I'd be less than happy about it, I'm holding what I have "'Til death do us part" any way", so took a break.
Back on topic, How did we close down?!!?!?!!
We now have both Swatch back on line and are SHIPPING RETAIL PARTS (rings), and have apparantly revisited the Golf market which I think is a big deal!
Thanks to the poster that brought up facts about the PGA rules; the fact that Liquidmetal cannot be used on the tour (unless dampened).
Some feel that this is negative but I don't see it that way. Of course, a product with professional endorsement would be ideal (ahhh, Tiger Woods with a Liquidmetal branded visor), but there are millions of amateurs that are potential clients.
MLB bans aluminum bats, but there is a huge market for them elsewhere.
Visser's Plant, Machine Footprints & The Possibilities Of It All
When I read 2,000 machines, I thought it was a typo but now were talking about 1,000 versus 2,000 so perhaps this is actually possible.
Without snide comments (please) someone please do the math here as I don't have the numbers to do the calculations and assumptions are useless in our forum.
It's been mentioned that there is a cost of about $150,000.00 (please verify as I haven't seen that in print) per machine and room for 2,000 of them (sounds high, but I don't know the footprint dimentions).
If accurate, that's $300,000,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
300 MILLION Dollars plus all the other costs associated with delivery, set-up, maintenance, etc not to mention the availability of the machines from either Engel, Husky or a combonation of the two.
Then there's the UCC filings as none of the players in our circle will be paying cash for these, no way 2,000 machines and 2,000 people to run them is flying under the radar.
It just doesn't seem possible that we are in the same ballpark as reality on this. I'm as optomistic as it gets but even my ambitious forward looking thoughts are no where close to this, perhaps 10% of it, but not 2,000 machines and 300 Million Dollars.
LQMT Has A Lot Going On But...
It's good to read about Visser's massive involvement again, refreshing actually.
It does make sense that Visser knows "something" as in everything that's going on at Liquidmetal Technologies, Inc.
All we can do (as long shareholders) is sit back and wait, follow our previous DD (LOTS of it) and hope for the best.
On the upside, we still have all the good stuff in place we've discussed so many times.
On the downside, we really don't have anyhting negative, just no disclosure at this point about what's in the pipeline.
Reverse LQMT Liquidmetal Split
I agree with OoO regarding a possible reverse split, it doesn't make sense and wouldn't accomplish anything at this point.
As we get some business in (hopefully soon) and with that business profit, it may make sense if we were trying to get back on NASDAQ and need a higher stock price.
This is the only scenario in which I would be supportive of LQMT doing a reverse split.
Turkish-Inverted Aqua-Melon Dragon Chart Analysis Indicates Flat Trading Today
While hopefully most of my fellow LQMT Liquidmetal investors were enjoying the weekend, I was diligently analyzing our LQMT Liquidmetal charts.
In contrast to what some may feel regarding “healthy pull backs” as an indicator that LQMT Liquidmetal is now a strong buy, my opinion on the stock currently is neutral.
My proprietary quark plasma candle burner analyzing software does isolate the possibility that if we test the 50dma at ~.15 with the RSI turning back up along with the MACD turning back up in unison that with volume we could run higher towards ~.1736, but the quark plasma candle burner analyzing software does suggest that we would not pass ~.1782 on the first increase.
While running Turkish-Inverted Aqua-Melon Dragon double dip crosscheck alongside quark plasma there are contrary indicators which conclude we will do the EXACT OPPOSITE and actually sell off to the exact same levels of the suggested increase.
Melon Dragon shows a drop from .125 to between .0718 and .0764.
Notice the irony…
Friday Close: 0.125
My proprietary Quark Plasma Candle Burner analyzing software has an INCREASE of .0486 to .0532 for a positive close at between .1736 and .1782 but my Turkish-Inverted Aqua-Melon Dragon analyzing software indicates a DECREASE of .0486 to .0532 with a close between .0718 and .0764.
When combining the results of these two equally reliable stock price predicting tools while running them simultaneously against the same data, the results wash out to a close at .125, exactly the same price we closed at Friday / Opened at this morning.
For this reason, I predict a flat trading day today barring any news which will render my research and chart analysis useless because as we all know…
NEWS TRUMPS CHARTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Article! I Love The Apple iPhone Speculation!!!
Great article, noticed it's recent too (November 20th, 2012) which is a good thing. Perhaps in part this article caused the spike to ~.16 a week or so ago.
It's tough for the longer term LQMT holders to get too excited though because we've seen this Apple story disappoint a few times already, but still good stuff.
Thanks for the post!!!
I agree, LQMT has trouble executing but it's not outdated.
Those Engel machines just came to market, the 180 tonnes emac machine may not have even come to market yet.
Is Liquidmetal An Outdated Technology?
Liquidmetal is always a day late. Steipp publicly stated that he will be using older outdated formulations for new business development.
The technologies which Schroers at Yale is developing are cutting edge. Liquidmetal is way behind the curve in new developments
The companies to invest in will be those like the Glassimetals and Schroers privately held companies who know the science and know the markets.
Liquidmetal is ancient history.
What Is The Ultimate Problem With Liquidmetal?!!?!
What I want to know is.. What is the ultimate problem?
Is it the cost of the alloy? Is it a problem with molds? Is it just the natural time-cycle that these kinds of things take? What is the problem? Why do we only have one customer?
Buys versus Sells
Lots of volume Friday, no doubt.
Seemed that there were more buy vs sell transactions but more sell vs buy volume (shares).
Anyone with better software or better at posting the numbers would be appreciated.
I'm Long & Strong Liquidmetal LQMT
Even with the downside(s) of LQMT I'm holding an optomistic view on the possible upside.
We (LQMT Liquidmetal) have a lot of positives going for us and great partnerships with world class companies to leverage along with a currently depressed stock price which at some level will bring in new buyers and also have us existing shareholders adding.
I'm not calling for tomorrow or the next day (so to speak) but at some point we will be OK.
Good luck to us Longs!!!
Kev2128... Are You Getting Back In To LQMT?
LQMT Liquidmetal Conference Call Suggestion
Perhaps the way around being cut off on the conference call would be to line up more folks with single questions ... it seems like you guys who have been around awhile accurately anticipate what LQMT folks are going to say, so why not line a few of us up with appropriate followups once you get past your single question?
You could be prepared to ask more than one, but when you cannot and they move to the next person, that person could ask the followup, either then or later in the call.
Liquidmetal / Apple Speculation Turns To Apple TV
The LQMT quick ~15% spike yesterday was exciting, every time a flurry of activity happens with a resulting spike in price I think we have found our time!
A few posters mentioned that a new rumor about Apple TV & Liquidmetal was being discussed on other boards but I have not seen any media or blog articles, if anyone has, please post a link in this thread.
Back to my Liquidmetal Latte and dreams of riches from LQMT!!!
What's with the flurry of LQMT trades?!!?!
That was a crazy series of trades, ~1,000,000 shares in a few minutes!
I saw the highs start getting taken out, then the 310,000 blocks sold below the bid, then a big run (big, as in a lot of movement for LQMT in a few minutes) of a ~10% Gain.
Strange, I didn't see any news or other reason for the flurry.
Viscous Liquid Foam- Bulk Metallic Glass (Foam)
What ever came of this Lquidmetal application?
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/background/facts/foam.html
Viscous Liquid Foam- Bulk Metallic Glass (Foam)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Experiment Name: Viscous Liquid Foam- Bulk Metallic Glass (Foam)
Mission: To be delivered on Progress 14P; experiment to be conducted during International Space Station Expedition 8 and/or Expedition 9
Experiment Location: Maintenance Work Area in Destiny Laboratory Module
Investigators: Dr. William (Bill) Johnson, and Chris Veazey, both of California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif., and Dr. William Kaukler, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
Project Manager: Jim Kennedy, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overview
In the 1980s, scientists discovered a new family of glasses: bulk metallic glasses. NASA-funded researcher Dr. Bill Johnson and his team at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, Calif., built on this original discovery and combined five elements to make an alloy that could be stiffer and thus have more applications. Their research included experiments on the ground and during two Space Shuttle flights in the 1990s. Precise conditions for forming bulk metallic glasses -- including many elusive properties -- were identified during these flight missions.
What makes bulk metallic glass different from other metals and glasses? Conventional metallic materials have a crystalline structure consisting of single crystal grains of varying sizes that fit together to form the metal's microstructure. To create these metal alloys, materials are heated so that they combine. As they are cooled, crystals form and arrange themselves together to make the structure of the solid metal.
On the other hand, to form bulk metallic glasses, the alloy is undercooled - cooled below the temperature at which it would normally form a solid. At around 650 degrees Fahrenheit, the liquid cools rapidly and solidifies from a molten form to create the solid. Unlike normal metals, it changes into the solid without forming crystals. This solid, non-crystalline structure makes bulk metallic glasses much stronger than their metal counterparts - by factors of 2 or 3 - and tougher than ceramics.
This experiment continues the Caltech team's pioneering work on these novel materials and uses them to examine foaming, viscosity and bubble formation.
Understanding viscosity and foaming will help scientists understand industrially important materials such as paints, emulsions, polymer melts and even foams used to produce pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic products.
Viscosity - the "stiffness" of fluids - is determined by complex interactions between atoms that make up a material. It is very hard to model and calculate the viscosity of complex materials. Viscosity is a critical parameter for creating foams - materials that may flow through a tube, but also are thick enough to be shaped and molded.
Experiment Operations
Much of the hardware used for this investigation is already available on the International Space Station. To heat samples, astronauts will use a battery-operated soldering iron that is part of their on-orbit tool kit.
The experiment will be conducted inside the Space Station Maintenance Work Area -- a portable workbench with a tabletop that measures 36 inches by 25 inches. When not in use, it is folded and stored inside a drawer.
The Maintenance Work Area can be used throughout the Station. An astronaut unfolds it and clamps it to a slotted mechanism similar to seat tracks found in cars or airplanes. The tracks are located on the sides of most of the floor-to-ceiling racks inside the Station. Gloveports on the sides and ends of the workbench's plastic cover and a front flap that unzips allow crew members to use the soldering iron or other tools at the same time. e operator unable to see the work piece. In the Maintenance Work Area, this problem will be avoided by using the vacuum.
Johnson's team will prepare three small, 0.5-gram samples of bulk metallic glass on Earth. The samples will be injected with a gas so that when they are heated, they will foam. The samples will be contained in copper ampoules, containers that are evacuated and sealed by welding. The ampoules are 2.5 centimeters long by 0.6 centimeters in diameter.
The ampoules will fit into brass sleeves that slide over the soldering iron. Astronauts will use the tip of the soldering iron to heat the ampoule and the enclosed samples. The three samples will be heated for 30 minutes, 15 minutes and 7.5 minutes, respectively. The samples will foam, increasing in volume as they are heated. When cooled, they will retain this foam shape because the viscosity will increase during cooling until it is a solid.
For this experiment, scientists are mainly interested in studying viscosity - a property of fluids that causes them to resist flowing because of the internal friction created as the atoms move against each other. Structurally bulk metallic glasses are liquids with very high viscosity, and investigators have designed these samples and the processing technique to form stiff foams having thick cell walls. This is the first microgravity study of foaming in a liquid alloy that is undercooled.
Investigators have designed the processing technique to take advantage of the stability, or longevity, offered by the high viscosity when heated above the glass transition temperature. Foaming a conventional metal alloy is limited by its very low viscosity above the melting temperature. By analogy, bulk metallic glass foam captures bubbles like honey while conventional alloy foam captures bubbles like froth above soapy water. This makes bulk metallic glasses ideal for studying foaming and bubble behavior.
In microgravity, bubbles don't rise, liquid doesn't sink, and surface tension dominates. The advantage of microgravity is significant for metal foam, where the density difference between gas and liquid is very large.
Producing a bulk metallic glass foam in space that is strong enough to retain its structure on return to Earth will allow for a comprehensive study to be made of the parameters which affect bubble size, wall thickness and other foam characteristics. Investigators will compare the morphology of bulk metallic foam made in space to that made in Earth gravity to determine differences in wall thickness, bubble size distribution and shape effects.
Benefits
Bulk metallic glasses are a relatively new material with enormous potential. Solid foams are the best materials to make large, stiff structures due to their high strength to weight ratio. Foaming also considerably reduces the thermal conductivity of the metal alloy. Even bulk metallic glasses have significant thermal conductivity that engineers wish to reduce.
The more investigators characterize how and why these materials form, the more they can develop specific formulas for use in various applications - from sports equipment to military hardware to spacecraft. Better measurements of viscosity and a better understanding of foaming will help investigators improve a variety of materials used for everything from medical to industrial processing.
Thanks For The Reality Check, You’re Probably Right
I got amped up a little last week when we ran up to ~.16 from ~.10 in a day; that’s what prompted me to transfer the money into my account.
With the pullback to ~.13, I was starting to feel some stability as it held up for a day or two and now.
I’m going to hold what I have and leave the cash on the sidelines.
Thanks ICC!!!
82,000 LQMT Shares (total) Accumulated At .1105
Hopefully a big sell order doesn’t come in and wipe out what may be some stability building in LQMT today.
We NEED to at a Minimum Hold the .10s
Thanks for the L2 info!
.10 is a big psychological level in the penny stocks, if LQMT sellers chew up the ~225,000 shares at .11 and we drop to .106 this might get ugly quick.
A few “panic sellers" in the .10s, and we are in the .09s, which could trigger even more sell volume.
I transferred money into my account earlier in the week with the intentions of buying more LQMT, I have not put those purchases in yet but the funds are cleared.
If we drop to .1099 or less I’ll add 25,000 shares.
Is There Heavy LQMT L2 Bid Support @ 0.11?