Thursday, May 17, 2018

Amorphous Metals And How They Can Change Future Products

What makes amorphous metals different from other metals is its unusual atomic-scale structure. Most metals exhibit a crystalline state with atoms arranged in a highly-ordered state whereas amorphous metals have disordered arrangement and non-crystalline structure which is almost glass-like.

Image source: machinedesign.com


The first production of amorphous metals occurred in 1960 at Caltech. The glass-forming alloy was cooled extremely quickly which prevented crystallization. It was first used in wires, foil, and metal ribbons. But by the ‘90s, a method that allowed a much lowered cooling rate enabled amorphous metals to be cast into metallic molds. This made amorphous metals more useful in industrial scenarios.

Commercially, amorphous metal products today include Liquidmetal and is used to manufacture a wide array of items ranging from smartphone covers to watches. What makes amorphous metals useful in these applications are its high tensile strength and superb resistance to corrosion.

Image source: spinoff.nasa.gov

In the future, Liquidmetal can be seen replacing plastic materials in several forms. Currently, tech titan Apple is testing the viability of the material and has already used it in some of its products. One of its goals is to produce covers that retain scratch-free surfaces far longer than the current material being used. Liquidmetal was also used in a recent project in space where it was used on the Genesis space probe as solar wind ion collectors.

John Kang focused on research and investing in commercializing amorphous alloys through Liquidmetal Technologies, Inc. His efforts proved to be fruitful as the company entered into partnerships with large-scale companies such as Apple, Inc. and The Swatch Group, Ltd. For more insights on amorphous metals, visit this blog.

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Is Cryptocurrency a Viable Investment Option Today?

The power and influence of blockchain technology is everywhere in the late 2010s, but nowhere is it more felt by businesses as in the rise of cryptocurrency. Many investors are joining the bandwagon brought about by its most successful manifestation: the Bitcoin. But should you also join the parade?

Websites dedicated to bitcoins are everywhere, explaining both the basics and the complicated processes that come with cryptocurrency, enticing even more people to try it and invest in it. The number of people devoting their careers to Bitcoin mining is increasing by the minute, many investing in high-end processors and graphics cards just to own the online currency. And it makes sense, too: a single bitcoin is now priced at $8,856.

Image source: medium.com

However, keep in mind that it’s still a new technology, with no historical basis for volatility and for tracking success. In short, you could still lose all your hard-earned money. That said, aside from Bitcoin, the two other viable options you can invest in are Litecoin and Ethereum. However, if you really want to put money on one cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is the way to go if only for prevalence of use.

Conversely, the popularity of Bitcoin might be its demise, as if the online currency does prove to be successful—and Bitcoin gets a stranglehold of the market—less popular online currency with lower market caps might be the ones to stick around. Again, the current preference for bitcoin does not guarantee that it will be the one to survive these early years.

Image source: bitnewsbot.com

John Kang is the chairman of LM Group Holdings, Inc., with headquarters in Lake Forest, CA. He is also an investor in startups and established companies. From 2001 to 2010, he served as chairman of Liquidmetal Technologies, Inc. More investment insights here.