New strategically important hard metal developed in Finland
Over the past three years VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has been working with Finnish-based Exote Ltd to develop a new hard metal and the necessary manufacturing process. This material can be used to replace tungsten carbide (WC), the hard metal widely used in industry today and whose global availability is becoming critical. The new material also possesses excellent bullet-proofing qualities, and ballistic tests has proved its unequalled ability to stop armor-piercing bullets.
The hard metal known as WC Co – used commonly in industrial applications demanding strength and durability – contains tungsten carbide and cobalt, both of which are defined by the EU as critical and, in the case of cobalt, dangerous to health. The EU critical materials list contains substances of significance to the EU economy but whose availability is at great risk, and are mostly non-renewable. Exote's material is a more ecological alternative, the new manufacturing technology enabling comparable properties to be acquired from other raw materials.
Exote's material withstads high temperatures and has high-level strength and durability. The metal is ideal for the manufacture of crusher blades and shear cutters, as well as exacting product tools. In ballistic protection it can be used to both personal- and vehicle protection. Especially at the highest Nato defined protection levels the material has been proved to be superior . The growing threat of roadside bombs, grenade splinters and armor-piercing bullets can now be reduced by solutions based on this new material.
VTT and Exote Ltd carried out further development on the material Exote has in production through the use of nano additives, which enable changing its toughness and hardness according to intended use.
The market potential for this new material is huge, and it will be important in many applications especially within the EU area.
Further details can be obtained from:
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Tomi Lindroos
Team Leader
Tel. +358 50 3020227
tomi.lindroos@vtt.fi
Exote Ltd
Jukka Kemppainen
Chairman of the Board
Tel. +358 400 41198
Further information on VTT:
Olli Ernvall
Senior Vice President, Communications
358 20 722 6747
olli.ernvall@vtt.fi
www.vtt.fi
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is a leading multitechnological applied research organization in Northern Europe. VTT creates new technology and science-based innovations in co-operation with domestic and foreign partners. VTT’s turnover is EUR 290 million and its personnel totals 3,100.
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