Vin's allomantic 'research'

During the events of Hero of Ages, Vin recognises the necessity of developing her skills in allomancy, in all areas. After exhausting all avenues of conventional research and all her concentration, she decides to explore different uses of allomancy, which might also help with her emotional burnout, and thereby help her overall concentration on finding new metals and developing allomancy in general. At least, that's how she justified it to herself, and how she planned to justify it to anyone who might find out. After all, Elend didn't strictly have to find out...