Liquidmetal Technologies, USC develop amorphous metal sheet manufacturing process

Liquidmetal® Technologies Inc., Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., a developer of amorphous alloys and composites, and the University of Southern California’s M.C. Gill Composites Center have joined forces to develop an advanced manufacturing process to produce large-scale amorphous metal and fiber laminate sheets for space applications.

The primary application for this advanced technology is for NASA to build an outer wall bumper shield that can protect spacecraft and satellites from micrometeoroid and orbital debris. Project goals include developing methods to manufacture thin amorphous metal sheets on a large scale, as well as the fabrication of fiber metal laminates in complex geometries. Other anticipated applications include medical, aerospace, defense, and automotive.

The initial phase of the research will center on small-scale prototypes and feasibility studies focusing on manufacturing processes and overall technology readiness.