Uses for Lighter Weight Material

[CoffeeGoat]

Stuck in quarantine I was just reading some materials science new recently about "super magnesium" which is a new magnesium alloy that's a little stronger than high grade aluminum but ~30% lighter and damps vibration much better. It got me thinking what could you make out of it for hunting that would take advantage of the lighter weight. Any ideas?

 

[bigbaddad71]

First thing that comes to mind is bow risers and bedding blocks..

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[tdot]

Backpack frame, scales for a knife handle, Quick Release plates for optics, tripod.

Lots of options, but it'd really depend on how stiff it is and what form can you buy the material in?

 

[CoffeeGoat]

Looks like they're primarily targeting die cast and forgings but a couple of their alloys are weldable. Modulus is low, but you can build stiff structures with complex geometry providing it'll cast well. I didn't see any indication of how extrudable it is, so it's uncertain how tubes and such will work. Large complex things like backpack frames, rifle chassis, and bow risers sounds good.

 

[TheRambler]

While stronger, it is far more brittle than many other metals.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

That's supposedly the big advantage of this new alloy system, it has much higher elongation than conventional magnesium, particularly die cast magnesium. Its' not as high as steel, but generally even higher than aluminum.