[PA-NJ Glassblowers] Scientists develop ultra-hard glass
Tony Patti
gaffer at glassblower.info
Wed Nov 4 08:39:01 EST 2015
Kim Lohan sent me this very interesting article
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-34714993
Such developments could improve the strength of glass used in smartphone
screens
Scientists develop ultra-hard glass
Scientists in Japan have developed a type of ultra-hard glass.
The new material is thin as well as hard and is made using alumina, an oxide
of aluminium.
If successfully commercialised, it could increase the durability of glass
used in the windows of buildings, cars and in smartphone displays.
The team from the University of Tokyo and Japan's Synchrotron Radiation
Research Institute have published their findings in Scientific Reports
journal.
The material belongs to a category known as oxide glasses, which mainly
consist of silicon dioxide - but with their strength boosted by alumina.
However, attempts to increase the amount of alumina have faltered in the
past because it would cause the mixture to crystallise when it came into
contact with the sides of its container, preventing a useful glass from
being formed.
Atsunobu Masuno from the Institute of Industrial Science at the University
of Tokyo and colleagues used oxygen gas to push the ingredients into the air
and then used lasers to melt them.
The resultant glass was colourless, transparent and extremely hard. A
property called Young's modulus, which is an indicator of stiffness, was
greater than that of some metals, and on its way to values associated with
steel.
Another mechanical property, called Vickers hardness, was comparable with
the highest values previously reported for oxide glasses.
"We will establish a way to mass-produce the new material shortly," Dr
Masuno told the Asahi Shinbun newspaper. "We are looking to commercialise
the technique within five years."
Enjoy,
Tony Patti
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