The US Navy has invented a transparent material that is far more durable than glass and could revolutionize smartphone screens, laptop screens and camera lenses, by preventing them from cracking or breaking. After ten years of research, scientists from the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have managed to use synthetic powder clay to produce a transparent glass-like material called "Spinel," which is stronger than bulletproof glass. But unlike traditional bulletproof glass, which is manufactured by combining alternate layers of plastic sheeting and glass, Spinel does not block the infrared wavelength of light, making it suitable for applications in camera lenses and smartphone screens. Spinel, which is actually a mineral called magnesium aluminate, can also be molded into almost any shape, making it suitable for use in curved smartphone displays.
NRL succeeded in producing transparent Spinel by using a process called sintering, which is generally used in 3D printing and involves a layer of crystal particles being pressed together. This difference in the production process as compared to the method for manufacturing glass ensures that a display screen made from Spinel will only chip if subjected to damage, as the hard crystals in the material can deflect the crack.
The researchers from NRL hope that Spinel can be applied to protect naval technology, like the windows on its laser weapons, as well as create transparent armor for military vehicles and protect sensors in space satellites. Spinel will initially be produced for military use, but could find application in smartphones and tablets for consumers at a later stage.
Posted by www.anymobilesmartphone.co.uk
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