Transparent aluminum
Transparent aluminum – it’s possible!
A new invention with the enigmatic name spin-ELL
Ways of using transparent aluminum and its advantages
Transparent aluminum - it's possible!
We have probably dropped a smartphone many times and thus destroyed its screen. It broke because it was glass. And what would you say if the glass screen was replaced with transparent aluminum? Transparent aluminum? Yes. It is possible. All thanks to American scientists from the US Navy Research Laboratory. They conducted research for almost a decade, during which they managed to obtain a mineral called magnesium aluminate. It turned out that it can perform a function similar to glass, and its advantage is resistance to mechanical damage.
A new invention with the enigmatic name spin-ELL
The head of the aforementioned research group was Dr. Jas Sanghera. He claimed that the mineral they obtained was actually magnesium aluminate. However, he called this invention quite unusual: spin-ELL After analyzing its properties, the scientists concluded that the mineral in question is characterized by good strength and impact resistance. In addition, it is harmless to erosion, which can be caused by sand and rain. So far, the production costs of transparent aluminum are very high, but over time they should decrease. This would result in the dissemination of the product in question.
Ways of using transparent aluminum and its advantages
An innovative mineral, if it enters everyday use, will find its application in such areas as:
- in unmanned drones;
- any face shields;
- in the manufacture of bulletproof windows;
- in the shields of vision systems of military aircraft;
- as protection for sensors on board satellites.
The advantage of transparent aluminum is that thanks to its strength, thin layers can be successfully used and replaced with glass.
