NationStates Jolt Archive

Well, taking the most basic of chemistry classes and probably wrong about many things, I have come to see why Depleted uranium makes a good armour. Other than being abundant, it has a high density and a low melting point(for its density), giving it a good amount of durability and flexibility.

My question is, is there any better way of doing this? Cost aside, wouldn't it be possible to use a gold alloy as armour? Gold, I know, is a soft metal, but its density is great, and in conjunction with possibly more brittle, high density metals, could it not be used as armour?

Im simply wondering, since it seems to be a possible alternative, again, price excluded... If im wrong, please slap me and give me a quick explanation on why, if you could. Im sure i wouldn't be the first guy in the world to think this, so I'm sure its probably not viable...but not completely sure...

Besides cost, gold is only 2/3rds as heavy as DU, which on a large scale application adds up, like an Abrams that normally has 8 tons of DU would need around 10.5 tons of gold for the same density. Or something like that, I might have used some terms wrong, but in essence you'd need to use more gold for the same effect.

My solution? Heavium, not actually an element but a cluster of metal atoms that behaves like a noble element(we can make them behave like a halogen in today's world, so I don't think its so far fetched in 2015), except its quite a bit heavier than DU, so it isn't a gas. It forms a superfine powder(a close to perfect lubricant, but its prone to leaking through nanoscopic cracks) since the clusters don't bind to one another, letting me alloy it into things without changing them chemically(when metal hardens with this stuff in it, it also inhibits crystal growth somewhat, making it a partial metallic glass(liquidmetal.com for the average person)), giving it even stronger properties as an armor. Heavium requires a lot of electricity and time to produce but the metals involved in making the cluster are all common, and its environmentally safe so its alright to make it en masse.

Are you sure?

Gold: Density, Hardness 19300 kg/m3, 2.5
Uranium: Density, Hardness 19050 kg/m3, ND

Gold is more dense than Uranium... Isn't it a good thing to be more dense, and weigh less?

gold is a weak metal

If gold is denser than uranium, and you use the same volume of each to form something like a vest, than the gold would weigh more.

Gold is heavy, and it is also highly malleable.

I.E. bullets penetrate MORE easily.

Wouldn't suggest it. It'd be nothing more than a ceremonial thing if ya did.

using elements for armor is an older method of armoring the newer fashion is to use high tech methods such as reactivity armor which detects an impact and causes an electircal field to make the area of impact extremely hard and nearly inpenetrable

Personally, I use carbon nanotubing for my armor. Synthetics > natural.

Although I've heard some people use asbestos for their plating... O_o;

Are you sure?

Gold: Density, Hardness 19300 kg/m3, 2.5
Uranium: Density, Hardness 19050 kg/m3, ND

Gold is more dense than Uranium... Isn't it a good thing to be more dense, and weigh less?

Density = how much mass is in a given volume. You can't have something of greater density weigh less than the same volume of a less dense material; it's a contradiction of terms.

And depleted uranium is denser than gold, and also fairly hard. Using gold would be impractical because of the cost, beyond all other factors; even if you didn't have something like DU avalible, it would be better to use more of a cheaper material.

using elements for armor is an older method of armoring the newer fashion is to use high tech methods such as reactivity armor which detects an impact and causes an electircal field to make the area of impact extremely hard and nearly inpenetrable

You're thinking of that new exparimental electric armour; reactive armour uses blocks of explosive to disrupt shaped-charge munitions.

yes the experimental electric reactivity armor uses what i said and officially has not been used though the top secret Russian t-95 may use this technology

But the most common and the only official reactivity armor is ERA or explosive reactivity armor



And ERA disrupts all charges sent against it but it works best against shaped charges

I got the impression he was thinking of some type of ferromagnetic(like the fluid) armor that gets superhard before an impact, although that wouldn't really work anyway.....

no it is an experimental reactivity armor that does work but very expensive and no yet practical at least officially but as i said the Top-Secret Russian T-95 may contain this armor

What about Diamond?

What about Diamond?

Diamond isn't an element, it's a type of carbon crystal. Still, it can be used as armour against lighter weapons - doubt it'd be any good against anti-tank fare.

Thing is diamond has plains of cleavage - shoot it, and there's a decent chance that it'll cleave in two. A body armour using inserts of synthetic diamond laminate - thin layers of diamond adhered together with their cleavage plains not aligning - would be a good future tech body armour. It's actually replaced glass in Kanuckistan.

Useless in modern tech, however - natural diamonds are tiny and the necessary amount of material to create armour would be uber expensive.

10 tons = 291,666.667 troy ounces
1 troy ounce of gold = $450 give or take a few bucks
10 tons of gold = 291,666.667 x 450 = $131 million

So at 131 million a pop, I think gold may be a little expensive


I got the 10 tons from the 2nd post I think it was. some guy mentioned something about needing 10 tons of gold.

Actually, even in modern tech its possible to create diamonds artificially, and it has been so for some few decades, but you'll notice IRL there isn't diamond armor. Diamond is only really useful for long-term toughness, if you hit it too fast it can shatter like anything else. Unless putting layers of glass in armor is a good idea, diamond is essentially a bad one.

Actually, even in modern tech its possible to create diamonds artificially, and it has been so for some few decades, but you'll notice IRL there isn't diamond armor. Diamond is only really useful for long-term toughness, if you hit it too fast it can shatter like anything else. Unless putting layers of glass in armor is a good idea, diamond is essentially a bad one.

Modern artifical diamond production is still limited in size and price; as for shattering, I already addressed that - offset the cleavage plains, and don't expect it to stand up against anything much larger than small arms; incorperating a reinforming plastic-based laminate between layers would be a good idea, too, to add a little flexibility, reduce interlayer fracture transmission, and boost integrity.

what about life jem or wateva its called?
If life jem can turn dead pplz into diamond or crystal or wateva it is doesnt that mean we could turn dead pplz into armour made outta this!

Ah, yes, absolutely. 'Smith's diamond armor wasn't good enough. Turn him into better diamond armor!'

didnt actually read the whole thread so if this was said before dont shoot me.

But as for gold armor like you brought up that would be really bad. Gold isn't a strong metal its very weak and delicate. Thats why they dont make jewelry out of pure gold.