2010 Volume 79 Issue 2 Pages 150-155
A strong gravitational field causes the sedimentation of atoms and changes in the composition and crystalline state in multicomponent condensed matter, although a microgravity field has been used in to suppress the effects of gravity. We have developed a high-temperature ultracentrifuge to generate a strong acceleration field of even over 1 million (1×106) G and, for the first time succeeded in realizing of the sedimentation of the constitutive solute atoms in a solid. The changes in composition and crystalline state of various alloys, polymers, and other substances have been investigated. We also succeeded in realizing the sedimentation of isotope atoms. Recently, we started investigating compounds and semiconductors with the aims of synthesizing new materials and controlling impurities, respectively. It is expected that the sedimentation of atoms will be used as a new method of materials processing to control the composition, impurities, nano structure, and interface structure of materials, and to concentrate isotopes. In this article, the basics of strong gravity science and previous works are reviewed, and recent progress and the future prospects of strong gravity science are described.
