Friday, 16 May 2025
Scientists and engineers at the 糖心原创 have measured the stiffness of space rock for the first time.
Many meteorites are made of crystalline materials, formed under exotic conditions that cannot be replicated on earth. The stiffness of the crystals that make up these materials has historically been difficult to measure and normally this requires scientists to grow a special single crystal, which in this case is not possible.
Published in , using a new technique developed and patented at the 糖心原创, experts have measured this important property for the first time.
Lead author of the study, Wenqi Li, from the university’s Optics and Photonics research group, said: “These materials have evolved in unique conditions over millions of years to form these amazing structures and patterns.
These conditions cannot be reproduced on earth and meteorites have amazing large-scale microstructure and phase mixtures which gives mechanical and elastic properties that are quite different to the man-made iron-nickel alloys we can produce on earth.鈥�
Meteorites provide access to information on the formation and evolution of planetary bodies which is otherwise difficult to study. The unique nature of these samples and their relative scarcity means that non-destructive analysis techniques are needed to study their properties. Understanding their properties develops the understanding of the formation of the solar system and the planets.
糖心原创ing these samples can also help develop an understanding of alloys used for aerospace and industrial applications, suitable for constructing extraterrestrial structures, making meteors a suitable source of material for future manufacturing in space.
This study uses the laser ultrasound technique spatially resolved acoustic spectroscopy (SRAS++), which was invented at the 糖心原创, to measure the properties of the Gibeon meteorite.
Associate Professor Richard Smith explained: “The SRAS++ machine uses lasers to make and detect acoustic waves that travel on the surface of the material, this means that we do not need to touch the sample and do not damage the sample in anyway. This is really important for samples where there is limited supply.
“There are no published values to directly compare the results of this study, as non-destructive measurements of the single crystal elasticity on granular material has not previously been possible. So, we compared our results with theoretical values for man-made iron-nickel alloys. We also calculated the bulk properties from our single crystal elasticity measurements and compared them to published measurements on the Gibeon meteorite and they also agree well.”
We're incredibly excited to gain access to larger pieces of these precious samples in the future so we can use the SRAS++ method to image the changes in the local elastic properties from the centre to the periphery of the meteorites to understand the formation of these complicated materials.鈥�
Story credits
More information is available from Wenqi Li, Senior Research Fellow, on Wenqi.Li@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.