What Does malleable Mean
Malleable is a term that comes from the Latin word malleus ( "hammer" ). It is an adjective that allows you to qualify a material that can be given different shapes without breaking or breaking it .
The malleability, therefore, is a property of the material that can be worked by deformation . In the case of metals, malleability is a property similar to ductility, although with specific differences. The malleable metal can be beaten and rolled out into thin sheets or slabs . Ductile metal, on the other hand, allows to obtain threads. It should be noted that both properties (malleability and ductility) are not usually found in the same material.
Malleable metals can generally be cut or bent when a certain pressure is exerted . This makes them useful materials for welding, for example. The low susceptibility to corrosion and rust are other characteristics given by the malleability.
Among the most common malleable materials is aluminum , since it allows obtaining what is known as aluminum foil (used for preserving food) or being used for the manufacture of tetra-brik containers.
In everyday language, malleability is linked to permeability (which can be easily pierced or penetrated). A malleable or permeable person, in this sense, is one who is influenced by the opinions of others or who is easy to persuade and convince : “Renata is malleable: let me talk to her and, in a few hours, we will have her on our side ” , “ He is a very malleable man, who always adapts to his environment ” .
A malleable person does not necessarily lack well-defined ideas and convictions , but in many cases does not have enough strength to impose them on a group and prefers to give in to external pressures so as not to upset others.
Malleable material that hardens under vacuum
Scientists from the Tecnalia Research & Innovation Center for Applied Research have developed an intelligent material called Varstiff, which can easily change shape, thanks to its malleability. But the detail that makes it revolutionary is that when a vacuum is applied it hardens to the point of presenting a rigidity such as that of plastic . As if this weren't enough, when the vacuum is removed, the Varstiff returns to its original state.
Among the first uses that researchers found for this innovative material is the immobilization of certain parts of the body (such as the back, thorax or neck) of accident victims at the scene: given its malleability, this material it can be adapted very easily to the different shapes and postures of a person, and its use in emergencies would reduce the risk of damage when handling patients.
The orthopedics is another field in which will be beneficial Varstiff, replacing the elastic bands with Velcro fasteners and inflatable pads used so far as the force they exert on the skin makes them less comfortable and lack the ideal stiffness for the problems they treat.
In the case of the automotive industry, this material could be used to create seats that adapt to the body of each person, providing more comfort and improving posture. Likewise, energy absorption systems and flexible spacers for the luggage compartments could be developed in the doors .
Varstiff applications are limited only by imagination; in addition to health and comfort, its creators have evaluated alternatives related to outdoor leisure (flexible tables and chairs) and high-risk sports or public and private security (accessories for uniforms that provide greater security to their users and that are easily transportable).