Scientists create bone-like material that is lighter than water but as strong as steel

Details -- A new material has been developed, which is said to be lighter than water and stronger than steel. The bone-like stuff was created by Jens Bauer at the Karlsruher Institute of Technology, according to Phys.org.

The reason it's so interesting is that materials which are less dense than water - such as wood and bone - are porous but are generally less intense than denser materials.

Theoretical studies and mathematical models have shown that finding a better balance between strength and density with patterns on the scale of human hair is possible. Building them seemed impossible. But using Nanoscribe 3D printers, the German team made a new material which is both porous and extremely strong based on that research.

"This is the first experimental proof that such materials can exist," Jens Bauer said.

The technique is complex, involving removing areas of polymer with a computer-aided laser, then adding aluminium oxide and submitting materials to stress tests. Bauer's best result is more substantial than all natural and man-made materials, lighter than 1000kg/m3, and as strong as some types of steel. Of course, making it in bulk is still a long way off, and this material won't replace traditional materials. But the more work done in this area, the more likely it is that one day we'll be printing the stuff our homes are made with - if not our homes themselves.