Adding tiny amounts of niobium makes steel twice as tough
Adding a pinch of this rare metal to industrial steel creates a microscopic armor that allows skyscrapers and bridges to use far less material.
Niobium is so potent that adding just 0.05 percent to a batch of steel completely transforms its internal architecture. At a temperature of 500 degrees Celsius, the niobium atoms act as tiny anchors that prevent the metal's crystal grains from growing too large. By keeping these grains small—down to just five microns—the steel becomes twice as tough and significantly more flexible.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.
Continue Reading in App
1 more paragraphs · plus a 2-question quiz