<SNIP!>
> systems. More recent applications include its use
> as a catalyst for making acrylic fibers, as a
> constituent of malleable iron, as a carrier of
> uranium-235 fuel in nuclear reactors, and as a
> specialized thermocouple material. Bismuth compounds
Cool stuff, Garrett! I can't remember who brought it up, but someone
mentioned that Bismuth was used in bullet-proof armoring. Given what was
just said in the above quote (the bit about 'malleable' iron), it does
leave one with the impression that Bismuth could be used to make a very
flexible iron-bismuth composite which would be capable of absorbing
the impact of projectiles quite readily. Incidentally, someone brought up
the (ugh) roswell crash - alleging that metal fragments recovered
contained bismuth. Given the above information, I don't suppose it's very
far off to say that any recovered materials could've been of the composite
nature described.
Also: given that it's supposed to be highly diamagnetic, I wonder if this
would provide sufficient protection from the radiation of the stars and
planets -- and if so, up to how many rads and in what particular frequency
ranges? [Ignore the roswell crap -- and please focus on the matter at hand
-- how effective would Bismuth be as radiation shielding in the hull of a
theoretical starship?]
Anyone?