Liquid shield for spacecraft? [closed]
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
Initially this question was going to be on how to improve the Parker Solar Probe shield. While time passed I saw other possibilities for using this method for active shielding.
Could a shield heated by the Sun be a liquid stabilized into a semi-solid by applying artificial magnetic field thus increasing the thermal equilibrium threshold of the metal?
Could an alloy of hot or could liquid metal be made to work like magnetic putty or oil (shown below) to make a metal semisolid shield for space travel?
Micrometeorites would leave damage to the hard metal when cold. The metal shield then would be exited by induction to melt the area then repaired by an applied magnetic field.
https://www.geek.com/geek-cetera/this-is-how-you-melt-metal-with-magnets-1544652/ Shows how hot liquid metal can still have magnetic properties.
Ferrofluid Source: Reddit Oil firming from applying artificial magnetic field.
Tumblr
spacecraft interplanetary the-sun shielding stability
asked Dec 30 '18 at 21:53
MuzeMuze
1,7851058
closed as off-topic by Organic Marble, Alex Hajnal, Fred, DarkDust, Jan Doggen Dec 31 '18 at 9:12
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "This question is about other space sciences (physics, weather, astronomy, etc), and does not directly pertain to space exploration as outlined in the help center." – Alex Hajnal, Fred, DarkDust
|
show 14 more comments
Initially this question was going to be on how to improve the Parker Solar Probe shield. While time passed I saw other possibilities for using this method for active shielding.
Could a shield heated by the Sun be a liquid stabilized into a semi-solid by applying artificial magnetic field thus increasing the thermal equilibrium threshold of the metal?
Could an alloy of hot or could liquid metal be made to work like magnetic putty or oil (shown below) to make a metal semisolid shield for space travel?
Micrometeorites would leave damage to the hard metal when cold. The metal shield then would be exited by induction to melt the area then repaired by an applied magnetic field.
https://www.geek.com/geek-cetera/this-is-how-you-melt-metal-with-magnets-1544652/ Shows how hot liquid metal can still have magnetic properties.
Ferrofluid Source: Reddit Oil firming from applying artificial magnetic field.
Tumblr
spacecraft interplanetary the-sun shielding stability
asked Dec 30 '18 at 21:53
MuzeMuze
1,7851058
closed as off-topic by Organic Marble, Alex Hajnal, Fred, DarkDust, Jan Doggen Dec 31 '18 at 9:12
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "This question is about other space sciences (physics, weather, astronomy, etc), and does not directly pertain to space exploration as outlined in the help center." – Alex Hajnal, Fred, DarkDust
3
Just read wikipedia about the Curie point Liquid iron is not magnetic.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:00
3
@Uwe: Seems OP is confusing "not magnetic" with "not ferromagnetic (but possibly paramagnetic or diamagnetic)"
– Ben Voigt
Dec 30 '18 at 22:10
1
@Muze Liquid iron is not ferromagnetic. An external magnetic field would not change this.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:36
1
Surely this question would be a better fit over on Physics?
– Alex Hajnal
Dec 31 '18 at 8:18
1
Could you mix iron with something ferromagnetic to make a ferromagnetic alloy which would behave like a ferromagnetic material when in liquid form? (Ferromagnetic is a fun word to say).
– Magic Octopus Urn
Dec 31 '18 at 16:11
|
show 14 more comments
Initially this question was going to be on how to improve the Parker Solar Probe shield. While time passed I saw other possibilities for using this method for active shielding.
Could a shield heated by the Sun be a liquid stabilized into a semi-solid by applying artificial magnetic field thus increasing the thermal equilibrium threshold of the metal?
Could an alloy of hot or could liquid metal be made to work like magnetic putty or oil (shown below) to make a metal semisolid shield for space travel?
Micrometeorites would leave damage to the hard metal when cold. The metal shield then would be exited by induction to melt the area then repaired by an applied magnetic field.
https://www.geek.com/geek-cetera/this-is-how-you-melt-metal-with-magnets-1544652/ Shows how hot liquid metal can still have magnetic properties.
Ferrofluid Source: Reddit Oil firming from applying artificial magnetic field.
Tumblr
spacecraft interplanetary the-sun shielding stability
asked Dec 30 '18 at 21:53
MuzeMuze
1,7851058
Initially this question was going to be on how to improve the Parker Solar Probe shield. While time passed I saw other possibilities for using this method for active shielding.
Could a shield heated by the Sun be a liquid stabilized into a semi-solid by applying artificial magnetic field thus increasing the thermal equilibrium threshold of the metal?
Could an alloy of hot or could liquid metal be made to work like magnetic putty or oil (shown below) to make a metal semisolid shield for space travel?
Micrometeorites would leave damage to the hard metal when cold. The metal shield then would be exited by induction to melt the area then repaired by an applied magnetic field.
https://www.geek.com/geek-cetera/this-is-how-you-melt-metal-with-magnets-1544652/ Shows how hot liquid metal can still have magnetic properties.
Ferrofluid Source: Reddit Oil firming from applying artificial magnetic field.
Tumblr
spacecraft interplanetary the-sun shielding stability
spacecraft interplanetary the-sun shielding stability
asked Dec 30 '18 at 21:53
MuzeMuze
1,7851058
asked Dec 30 '18 at 21:53
MuzeMuze
1,7851058
edited Jan 1 at 3:51
Muze
asked Dec 30 '18 at 21:53
MuzeMuze
1,7851058
asked Dec 30 '18 at 21:53
MuzeMuze
1,7851058
asked Dec 30 '18 at 21:53
MuzeMuze
1,7851058
1,7851058
closed as off-topic by Organic Marble, Alex Hajnal, Fred, DarkDust, Jan Doggen Dec 31 '18 at 9:12
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "This question is about other space sciences (physics, weather, astronomy, etc), and does not directly pertain to space exploration as outlined in the help center." – Alex Hajnal, Fred, DarkDust
closed as off-topic by Organic Marble, Alex Hajnal, Fred, DarkDust, Jan Doggen Dec 31 '18 at 9:12
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "This question is about other space sciences (physics, weather, astronomy, etc), and does not directly pertain to space exploration as outlined in the help center." – Alex Hajnal, Fred, DarkDust
3
Just read wikipedia about the Curie point Liquid iron is not magnetic.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:00
3
@Uwe: Seems OP is confusing "not magnetic" with "not ferromagnetic (but possibly paramagnetic or diamagnetic)"
– Ben Voigt
Dec 30 '18 at 22:10
1
@Muze Liquid iron is not ferromagnetic. An external magnetic field would not change this.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:36
1
Surely this question would be a better fit over on Physics?
– Alex Hajnal
Dec 31 '18 at 8:18
1
Could you mix iron with something ferromagnetic to make a ferromagnetic alloy which would behave like a ferromagnetic material when in liquid form? (Ferromagnetic is a fun word to say).
– Magic Octopus Urn
Dec 31 '18 at 16:11
|
show 14 more comments
3
Just read wikipedia about the Curie point Liquid iron is not magnetic.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:00
3
@Uwe: Seems OP is confusing "not magnetic" with "not ferromagnetic (but possibly paramagnetic or diamagnetic)"
– Ben Voigt
Dec 30 '18 at 22:10
1
@Muze Liquid iron is not ferromagnetic. An external magnetic field would not change this.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:36
1
Surely this question would be a better fit over on Physics?
– Alex Hajnal
Dec 31 '18 at 8:18
1
Could you mix iron with something ferromagnetic to make a ferromagnetic alloy which would behave like a ferromagnetic material when in liquid form? (Ferromagnetic is a fun word to say).
– Magic Octopus Urn
Dec 31 '18 at 16:11
3
3
Just read wikipedia about the Curie point Liquid iron is not magnetic.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:00
Just read wikipedia about the Curie point Liquid iron is not magnetic.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:00
3
3
@Uwe: Seems OP is confusing "not magnetic" with "not ferromagnetic (but possibly paramagnetic or diamagnetic)"
– Ben Voigt
Dec 30 '18 at 22:10
@Uwe: Seems OP is confusing "not magnetic" with "not ferromagnetic (but possibly paramagnetic or diamagnetic)"
– Ben Voigt
Dec 30 '18 at 22:10
1
1
@Muze Liquid iron is not ferromagnetic. An external magnetic field would not change this.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:36
@Muze Liquid iron is not ferromagnetic. An external magnetic field would not change this.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:36
1
1
Surely this question would be a better fit over on Physics?
– Alex Hajnal
Dec 31 '18 at 8:18
Surely this question would be a better fit over on Physics?
– Alex Hajnal
Dec 31 '18 at 8:18
1
1
Could you mix iron with something ferromagnetic to make a ferromagnetic alloy which would behave like a ferromagnetic material when in liquid form? (Ferromagnetic is a fun word to say).
– Magic Octopus Urn
Dec 31 '18 at 16:11
Could you mix iron with something ferromagnetic to make a ferromagnetic alloy which would behave like a ferromagnetic material when in liquid form? (Ferromagnetic is a fun word to say).
– Magic Octopus Urn
Dec 31 '18 at 16:11
|
show 14 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
Could liquid metal be made ferromagnetic by externally inducing an internal magnetic field?
No. Metal is either ferromagnetic or not; this is a result of the quantum-mechanical interaction of neighbouring atoms in the metal's crystal lattice. Even non-magnetised iron at room temperature is ferromagnetic, only, the Weiss domains are randomly oriented and mostly cancel out, which can be changed by applying an external field to orient them all in the same direction. Most other metals aren't ferromagnetic and an external field can't do anything about this: there are no magnetic domains that you could align in some way. And as Uwe commented, even the ferromagnetic metals are only ferromagnetic below the Curie temperature. This always lies below the melting point, so no: liquid metals can not be made ferromagnetic.
Regarding ferrofluids: yes, those are ferromagnetic liquids, but they aren't liquid metals. In vacuum, the carrier would quickly freeze and/or evaporate.
But I don't think that's really what you meant to ask anyway: ferromagnetism is not the only way metals can interact with magnetic fields. There are three other mechanisms:
Paramagnetism is similar to ferromagnetism, except you don't have mesoscopic magnetic domains that could be aligned, but only microscopic spins of single atoms or molecules. Thus, paramagnets are attracted to magnets similarly as ferromagnets are, just much weaker.
Many materials are paramagnetis, including liquids. Often they aren't metals, e.g. liquid oxygen is an example.
Diamagnetism is even weaker, and has the opposite effect: diamagnets are repelled by an inhomogeneous magnetic field.
Induction. Any conductor, and thus any metal even if liquid, will respond to a time-variable magnetic field: such a field generates currents, and those currents will broadly speaking reject the field-change. And this can indeed be used to move/shape the conductor without touching it. It is mostly important for plasma (conductive gas), and is the working principle behind Tokamak and Stellarator fusion reactors.
So, induction is your best bet. Could this be used to form a shield? Possibly. In fact fluid conductors have a natural tendency to form sheet-like structures. Whether this is practical is dubious, but it's in principle a worthwhile idea.
answered Dec 30 '18 at 22:55
leftaroundaboutleftaroundabout
1,180512
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Could liquid metal be made ferromagnetic by externally inducing an internal magnetic field?
No. Metal is either ferromagnetic or not; this is a result of the quantum-mechanical interaction of neighbouring atoms in the metal's crystal lattice. Even non-magnetised iron at room temperature is ferromagnetic, only, the Weiss domains are randomly oriented and mostly cancel out, which can be changed by applying an external field to orient them all in the same direction. Most other metals aren't ferromagnetic and an external field can't do anything about this: there are no magnetic domains that you could align in some way. And as Uwe commented, even the ferromagnetic metals are only ferromagnetic below the Curie temperature. This always lies below the melting point, so no: liquid metals can not be made ferromagnetic.
Regarding ferrofluids: yes, those are ferromagnetic liquids, but they aren't liquid metals. In vacuum, the carrier would quickly freeze and/or evaporate.
But I don't think that's really what you meant to ask anyway: ferromagnetism is not the only way metals can interact with magnetic fields. There are three other mechanisms:
Paramagnetism is similar to ferromagnetism, except you don't have mesoscopic magnetic domains that could be aligned, but only microscopic spins of single atoms or molecules. Thus, paramagnets are attracted to magnets similarly as ferromagnets are, just much weaker.
Many materials are paramagnetis, including liquids. Often they aren't metals, e.g. liquid oxygen is an example.
Diamagnetism is even weaker, and has the opposite effect: diamagnets are repelled by an inhomogeneous magnetic field.
Induction. Any conductor, and thus any metal even if liquid, will respond to a time-variable magnetic field: such a field generates currents, and those currents will broadly speaking reject the field-change. And this can indeed be used to move/shape the conductor without touching it. It is mostly important for plasma (conductive gas), and is the working principle behind Tokamak and Stellarator fusion reactors.
So, induction is your best bet. Could this be used to form a shield? Possibly. In fact fluid conductors have a natural tendency to form sheet-like structures. Whether this is practical is dubious, but it's in principle a worthwhile idea.
answered Dec 30 '18 at 22:55
leftaroundaboutleftaroundabout
1,180512
add a comment |
Could liquid metal be made ferromagnetic by externally inducing an internal magnetic field?
No. Metal is either ferromagnetic or not; this is a result of the quantum-mechanical interaction of neighbouring atoms in the metal's crystal lattice. Even non-magnetised iron at room temperature is ferromagnetic, only, the Weiss domains are randomly oriented and mostly cancel out, which can be changed by applying an external field to orient them all in the same direction. Most other metals aren't ferromagnetic and an external field can't do anything about this: there are no magnetic domains that you could align in some way. And as Uwe commented, even the ferromagnetic metals are only ferromagnetic below the Curie temperature. This always lies below the melting point, so no: liquid metals can not be made ferromagnetic.
Regarding ferrofluids: yes, those are ferromagnetic liquids, but they aren't liquid metals. In vacuum, the carrier would quickly freeze and/or evaporate.
But I don't think that's really what you meant to ask anyway: ferromagnetism is not the only way metals can interact with magnetic fields. There are three other mechanisms:
Paramagnetism is similar to ferromagnetism, except you don't have mesoscopic magnetic domains that could be aligned, but only microscopic spins of single atoms or molecules. Thus, paramagnets are attracted to magnets similarly as ferromagnets are, just much weaker.
Many materials are paramagnetis, including liquids. Often they aren't metals, e.g. liquid oxygen is an example.
Diamagnetism is even weaker, and has the opposite effect: diamagnets are repelled by an inhomogeneous magnetic field.
Induction. Any conductor, and thus any metal even if liquid, will respond to a time-variable magnetic field: such a field generates currents, and those currents will broadly speaking reject the field-change. And this can indeed be used to move/shape the conductor without touching it. It is mostly important for plasma (conductive gas), and is the working principle behind Tokamak and Stellarator fusion reactors.
So, induction is your best bet. Could this be used to form a shield? Possibly. In fact fluid conductors have a natural tendency to form sheet-like structures. Whether this is practical is dubious, but it's in principle a worthwhile idea.
answered Dec 30 '18 at 22:55
leftaroundaboutleftaroundabout
1,180512
add a comment |
Could liquid metal be made ferromagnetic by externally inducing an internal magnetic field?
No. Metal is either ferromagnetic or not; this is a result of the quantum-mechanical interaction of neighbouring atoms in the metal's crystal lattice. Even non-magnetised iron at room temperature is ferromagnetic, only, the Weiss domains are randomly oriented and mostly cancel out, which can be changed by applying an external field to orient them all in the same direction. Most other metals aren't ferromagnetic and an external field can't do anything about this: there are no magnetic domains that you could align in some way. And as Uwe commented, even the ferromagnetic metals are only ferromagnetic below the Curie temperature. This always lies below the melting point, so no: liquid metals can not be made ferromagnetic.
Regarding ferrofluids: yes, those are ferromagnetic liquids, but they aren't liquid metals. In vacuum, the carrier would quickly freeze and/or evaporate.
But I don't think that's really what you meant to ask anyway: ferromagnetism is not the only way metals can interact with magnetic fields. There are three other mechanisms:
Paramagnetism is similar to ferromagnetism, except you don't have mesoscopic magnetic domains that could be aligned, but only microscopic spins of single atoms or molecules. Thus, paramagnets are attracted to magnets similarly as ferromagnets are, just much weaker.
Many materials are paramagnetis, including liquids. Often they aren't metals, e.g. liquid oxygen is an example.
Diamagnetism is even weaker, and has the opposite effect: diamagnets are repelled by an inhomogeneous magnetic field.
Induction. Any conductor, and thus any metal even if liquid, will respond to a time-variable magnetic field: such a field generates currents, and those currents will broadly speaking reject the field-change. And this can indeed be used to move/shape the conductor without touching it. It is mostly important for plasma (conductive gas), and is the working principle behind Tokamak and Stellarator fusion reactors.
So, induction is your best bet. Could this be used to form a shield? Possibly. In fact fluid conductors have a natural tendency to form sheet-like structures. Whether this is practical is dubious, but it's in principle a worthwhile idea.
answered Dec 30 '18 at 22:55
leftaroundaboutleftaroundabout
1,180512
Could liquid metal be made ferromagnetic by externally inducing an internal magnetic field?
No. Metal is either ferromagnetic or not; this is a result of the quantum-mechanical interaction of neighbouring atoms in the metal's crystal lattice. Even non-magnetised iron at room temperature is ferromagnetic, only, the Weiss domains are randomly oriented and mostly cancel out, which can be changed by applying an external field to orient them all in the same direction. Most other metals aren't ferromagnetic and an external field can't do anything about this: there are no magnetic domains that you could align in some way. And as Uwe commented, even the ferromagnetic metals are only ferromagnetic below the Curie temperature. This always lies below the melting point, so no: liquid metals can not be made ferromagnetic.
Regarding ferrofluids: yes, those are ferromagnetic liquids, but they aren't liquid metals. In vacuum, the carrier would quickly freeze and/or evaporate.
But I don't think that's really what you meant to ask anyway: ferromagnetism is not the only way metals can interact with magnetic fields. There are three other mechanisms:
Paramagnetism is similar to ferromagnetism, except you don't have mesoscopic magnetic domains that could be aligned, but only microscopic spins of single atoms or molecules. Thus, paramagnets are attracted to magnets similarly as ferromagnets are, just much weaker.
Many materials are paramagnetis, including liquids. Often they aren't metals, e.g. liquid oxygen is an example.
Diamagnetism is even weaker, and has the opposite effect: diamagnets are repelled by an inhomogeneous magnetic field.
Induction. Any conductor, and thus any metal even if liquid, will respond to a time-variable magnetic field: such a field generates currents, and those currents will broadly speaking reject the field-change. And this can indeed be used to move/shape the conductor without touching it. It is mostly important for plasma (conductive gas), and is the working principle behind Tokamak and Stellarator fusion reactors.
So, induction is your best bet. Could this be used to form a shield? Possibly. In fact fluid conductors have a natural tendency to form sheet-like structures. Whether this is practical is dubious, but it's in principle a worthwhile idea.
answered Dec 30 '18 at 22:55
leftaroundaboutleftaroundabout
1,180512
edited Dec 31 '18 at 12:31
answered Dec 30 '18 at 22:55
leftaroundaboutleftaroundabout
1,180512
answered Dec 30 '18 at 22:55
leftaroundaboutleftaroundabout
1,180512
answered Dec 30 '18 at 22:55
leftaroundaboutleftaroundabout
1,180512
1,180512
add a comment |
add a comment |
3
Just read wikipedia about the Curie point Liquid iron is not magnetic.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:00
3
@Uwe: Seems OP is confusing "not magnetic" with "not ferromagnetic (but possibly paramagnetic or diamagnetic)"
– Ben Voigt
Dec 30 '18 at 22:10
1
@Muze Liquid iron is not ferromagnetic. An external magnetic field would not change this.
– Uwe
Dec 30 '18 at 22:36
1
Surely this question would be a better fit over on Physics?
– Alex Hajnal
Dec 31 '18 at 8:18
1
Could you mix iron with something ferromagnetic to make a ferromagnetic alloy which would behave like a ferromagnetic material when in liquid form? (Ferromagnetic is a fun word to say).
– Magic Octopus Urn
Dec 31 '18 at 16:11