Breaking Boundaries: Extraordinary Uses of Metal in Unexpected Industries

Tweet

Metals have been utilized by mankind for centuries. However, the modern technological revolution introduced completely new applications for these solid substances. Apart from industries that are largely dependent on metals, such as civil engineering, automotive, furniture, machinery, and the electronics sector, there are many other unusual uses of metals. Therefore, it’s intriguing to take a look at these application possibilities, which are briefly described in this article.

• Medicine: For manufacturing of medical tools, as well as repairing broken bones and joints (titanium implants), or dental implants. Other examples include cancer treatments that include platinum-based chemotherapy drugs. Other application includes gold-containing drugs that help with pain and inflammation.
• Hygiene: As metals such as copper have antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, it is proven that these can kill germs that are on their surface (contact killing). Other metals with this property are also gold and silver.
• Energy: Electrical wiring and electricity production technologies, such as solar photovoltaic cells, utilize different types of metals.
• Aerospace: Gold is used for spacesuit manufacturing, in order to ensure solar radiation protection for astronauts. Also used in space shuttles.
• Food Packaging: Widely dependent on aluminum, and steel.
• Art: Many artists use various metals for sculptures and other creative art projects. An example is bronze and aluminum, in addition to steel, as a result of the capability of being shaped.
• Mirrors Production: Replaced polished silver, and silver coatings, as today’s mirrors are made out of aluminum and stainless steel.
• Money: Coins are made from nickel, copper, and zinc, while throughout history, silver and gold were also used.
• Temperature Measurement: Mercury has been used in thermometers for measuring body temperature.

To sum up, metal application in today’s rapidly developing technology sector is huge. The modern industry sector is heavily reliant on metals, and there is a lot of metal utilization in products that surround us, but we are not aware of.

Bianca Van der Watt