Scientists have made an unusual discovery that could open up various uses for the metal known as nanocrystals.  With the use of the high power microscope, the nanocrystals or   tiny crystals that are frequently harder, stronger and more wear resistant than the same materials in bulk form were discovered.
What the research engineers have found out is that the in demand nanocrystals are found in common scrap, the chips that are usually collected and melted down for recycling.  With this knowledge of the source for nanocrystals, scientists just cannot imagine that bins full of chips containing the crystal will just be melted down as scrap.  In a sense, the scrap can actually be more valuable pound for pound as compared to the material out of which the part is made.
There is enough data which show that these materials are nanocrystalline since they have enhanced mechanical characteristics when observed under the high power microscope.   At present it is either unreasonably costly or impossible to produce nanocrystals of many alloys from steel alloys important to industry and other commercial products. Scientists were led to their significant discovery by researching in scientific literature.  One literature mentioned that the introduction of very large strains into a material enables it to be converted into nanocrystalline.

Scientists were also aware that there was strain being introduced at the point of the cutting tool.  As observed under the high power microscope, the very strains caused by a cutting instrument likewise produce nanocrystals of approximately 100 nanometers in diameter.
For the time being nanocrystals are not   used in the manufacture of products. However, it is valuable in various experimental uses which    include research geared  towards developing high-performance bearings, like  those used for helicopter rotors,  creating new types of high-strength, lightweight composite materials, making superior fuel-injection components for diesel engines and also  producing new types of chemical catalysts.
There is a need for further research to find out whether the nanocrystals found in scrap chips maintained their desired properties after standard processing steps which include milling the chips to make powders and then compressing and heating the powders to make metal parts.
It is hoped that nanocrystals might be used to make super-strong and long-lasting metal parts which will mixed with plastics and other metals to produce new types of composite structures for everything.  One drawback is that nanocrystals are far too expensive and hard to produce for any practical industrial or commercial use.

In laboratories, one methods being used to make nanocrystals is by heating a metal until it vaporizes.  Nanocrystals are then collected   as the vaporized metal condenses onto a cold surface. The scientists considered the process as burdensome.
Studies have revealed that nanocrystals of different metals have demonstrated to be 100 percent, 200 percent and even   300 percent harder than the same materials in bulk form. As noted wear resistance is usually dictated by the hardness of a metal.  The parts made from nanocrystals might remain significantly longer than the conventional parts.
As noted under the high power microscope, nanocrystals can be made from a variety of materials like steels, tungsten, titanium and nickel alloys.Read more