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Is this similar to cold welding that may happen in space (where surfaces don't oxidate)?
by wereHamster 5y ago
Is this similar to cold welding that may happen in space (where surfaces don't oxidate)?
- dan-robertson 5y agoIt feels more similar to wringing gauge blocks (or other very flat surfaces) together, though it is more disputed how that works. You can separate the two objects if you pull them apart with a reasonable force (or more typically shearing and some leverage) and if you imagine the atomic scale structure of the surface, the crystal lattice will break down as atoms on the edge have bonds going into the material rather than free electrons hanging out waiting for another atom to bond to. I don’t know if cold welding is really welding but contact bonding is certainly not like welding.
- wereHamster 5y agoAFAIU cold welding is like welding in that the two materials which were separate atomic matrices become one, as atoms from one 'object' do not care if their neighbours are from a different 'object', if they are close enough to be attracted to each other. It only works if the material does not have an oxide layer at it's surface, which is why it's been observed to happen in space (and apparently caused issues with joints no longer being able to move, or something like that).