Metallic Microlattice Material: ‘Lightest Structure Ever’

Researchers in the US have broken the world record for the lightest structural material. The metal-based microlattice structures are significantly less dense than the rarest aerogels and other ultralight foams, while exhibiting high strength and an unexpectedly high ability to absorb energy and recover shape after compression. The materials could find use in a range of applications, from aircraft structural components to acoustic damping and shock absorption.