Superstrong glass developed for windows and smartphone covers
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029345
BBC : Not only have Japanese researchers created a stronger glass , but they used aerodynamic levitation to do it. Like regular window glass, the new material consists mainly of silicon dioxide. To boost the glass’s strength, Atsunobu Masuno of the University of Tokyo and his colleagues added aluminum oxide. But because that ingredient causes the mixture to crystallize when it touches the sides of its container, Masuno and company used oxygen gas to levitate the ingredients and then melted them with lasers. The result is a glass that is colorless, transparent, and extremely hard—comparable with some metals. The researchers hope to commercialize the technique within five years.
