THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, TOKYO, JAPAN AND THE JAPAN SYNCHROTRON RADIATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE. A team of researchers have developed a kind of glass that is stronger than other metals and just about as strong as steel. A glass that is impervious to breaking can be extremely useful in a lot of applications from skyscrapers to smartphones, tablets and car windows.
The team of Japanese researchers were searching for ways that would make traditional glass more durable and strong. Using aerodynamic levitation, they were able to overcome the challenges in creating this new innovative glass imbued with extra amounts of an oxide of aluminum called alumina.
Adding large amounts of alumina to the mix was one of their solutions since it has one of the highest dissociation energies among oxides. This method can make traditional glass stronger based on past research. However, what prevented the researchers from developing this type of glass was the production process. When more alumina was added to the mix while making the glass, silicon dioxide crystals developed where the mix met the surface that was holding it, making the end product useless and worthless as a glass. The researchers found a solution to this challenge by simply removing the container from the process.
A glass that is colorless, transparent and immensely hard was produced by their new process that caused the mix to be held in the air while the glass was forming. By pushing it from below with oxygen gas and using a laser as a spatula in mixing the materials together, the new glass was created. Various tests were conducted and showed that the new kind of glass was stronger than most metals, even as strong as steel.
Currently, the team is looking for a way that will convert their method to a mass production process. Once successful, they will be able to mass produce shatter-proof smartphone screens using the new glass. This innovation can totally revolutionize the use of glass in various applications.
| Invention | Japanese Scientists Create Glass Nearly as Hard as Steel |
|---|---|
| Organization | The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan and The Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute |
| Researcher | Yasuhiro Watanabe & Team |
| Field(s) | Glass Fabrication, Glasses, Physical Science, Smartphone, Tablet |
| Further Information | http://www.nature.com/articles/srep15233 |
Image courtesy of pixabay.com
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