Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Cambridge, Massachusetts) say they have devised a new method for making metal alloys to replace metal coatings such as hexavalent chromium (CrVI), which is widely used to coat industrial parts and decorative items, such as automobile bumpers, but poses serious risks for those who work with it. CrVI is linked to cancer and other health issues around the world. The method, developed by Christopher Schuh, an MIT associate professor, and graduate student Andrew Detor, involves making the crystals within an alloy much smaller, and thus making the alloy harder.
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