News

Mitsubishi Materials Corporation has developed an innovative new material called "Elastic Metal," which can be used in the same high-temperature environments as metal but has the flexibility of an organic material.

Industrial materials are typically selected based on usage. For example, organic materials such as rubber are used for situations requiring flexibility, while metal materials are used when heat resistance is required. Therefore, there often arises an issue of tradeoff between the characteristics of materials selected.
For example, organic materials have comparatively poor heat resistance and must therefore be used under certain restrictions in high-temperature environments.

In order to overcome these issues, we began developing a new material that would offer both heat resistance and flexibility. Inspired by the adhesion mechanism of the setae on the soles of a gecko's feet, our Central Research Institute applied the bio-mimicry-based surface functionalization technologies it had been developing to provide the surface of a metal material with a special microstructure. This resulted in the development of Elastic Metal, which can be used in the same high-temperature environments as metal but has the flexibility of an organic material.

Elastic Metal is expected to be widely used in attaching parts and materials both permanently and temporarily in situations where both high heat resistance and flexibility are required, and continues to be developed for use especially in fields such as aerospace, semiconductors, and healthcare.

The detail of Elastic Metal is explained in the technical site.
https://www.mmc.co.jp/corporate/en/business/rd/metal_rubber/

The vision of the Mitsubishi Materials Group is to "become the leading business group committed to creating a sustainable world through materials innovation, with use of our unique and distinctive technologies" based on its corporate philosophy of "For People, Society and the Earth." Mitsubishi Materials will continue to help build a prosperous society through developing and providing nonferrous metal materials and high-value-added products.