Scientists accidentally capture metals ‘healing’ themselves::Materials scientists witnessed metals—in this case copper and platinum—undergoing the process of ‘intrinsic self-healing.’
Scientists accidentally capture metals ‘healing’ themselves::Materials scientists witnessed metals—in this case copper and platinum—undergoing the process of ‘intrinsic self-healing.’
Kinda sensationalist when we’ve known about cold welding for as long as the space program at least. Metals bond in a vacuum because there are no oxygen molecules to bond with their surface, when that surface is abraded. It makes for one of the bigger challenges in space, bearings that don’t seize up. Along with the even bigger challenge, an air tight bearing that doesn’t seize up, or leak.
I thought they had spacebearings fixed by replacing metals with ceramics? The Hubble trying to kill itself by letting all of its gyrorings seize up really gave research a clear goal in that direction. https://www.smbbearings.com/ceramic-bearings-space-applications
Heck, you can almost do cold welding right here. If you have two very, very flat metal parts, and press them together hard, just with your hands, you can get them to stick together.