Soft melting - destructive - Gallium

Post date: 12-May-2016 16:26:57

But did you know there’s a liquid metal that’s safe to handle with your bare hands? It’s called gallium and it’s fascinating. You can safely put liquid gallium in your hands and observe its unique characteristics. You can even put solid gallium in the palm of your hand and watch as your body’s temperature melts it.

Another bizarre characteristic of gallium is its ability to weaken other materials. Gallium attacks most other metals by diffusing into their metal lattice. It also expands by 3.1% when it solidifies, so it can easily break glass or metal containers. Its ultra shiny, silvery composition is perfect for highly reflective mirrors. It’s also currently used to make semiconductors and diodes.