The Crystal That Wasn’t Supposed to Exist – Now It’s Reinventing 3D-Printed Metal
13th April 2025
Quasicrystals, once considered impossible, were found in a 3D-printed aluminum alloy – and they make it stronger. This could change how we design aircraft and car components.
- Researchers at NIST discovered quasicrystals, rare, non-repeating atomic structures, in 3D-printed aluminum alloys.
- These quasicrystals were found to strengthen the metal, making it more suitable for lightweight, high-performance parts like those used in airplanes.
- Quasicrystals were first discovered at NIST in the 1980s, a breakthrough that challenged long-held scientific beliefs, and earned a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2011.