COMPARING A YTTRIUM-SILVER BUTTON AFTER REPEATED HAMMER BLOWS AND A GADOLINIUM-SILICON-GERMANIUM MATERIAL SHATTERED WITH A LIGHT TAP FROM A HAMMER.

INTERMETALLIC MATERIALS -- COMPOUNDS CONSISTING OF TWO OR MORE METALS BONDED TOGETHER -- POSSESS CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL, ELECTRICAL, MAGNETIC AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE OFTEN SUPERIOR TO ORDINARY METALS. THEIR USEFULNESS HAS BEEN LIMITED UP TO NOW, BECAUSE THEY WERE FOUND TO BE BRITTLE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. RESEARCHERS AT AMES LAB HAVE RECENTLY IDENTIFIED MORE THAN A DOZEN RARE EARTH/MAIN GROUP METAL INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS THAT SHOW HIGH LEVELS OF DUCTILITY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, MAKING THESE MATERIALS MORE USEFUL.