A glass that can not be “killed.” Regenerating glass

Many people know disappointment from the broken screen smartphone. This is the most common breakdown of the gadget. In connection with this problem, many experiments are carried out. For example, in the US, in April this year, scientists have created a material whose molecules are connected by a so-called ion-dipole interaction. Then it was possible to achieve the effect of “healing” of scratches. The process took about a day’s time. But you can not completely get rid of cracks and scratches. Now, Japanese scientists have announced a new development, which gives hope for a fundamentally new solution to the problem.

At the University of Tokyo, one of the professors (Takuzo Aida) and his team began to develop a sticky substance. The result of the work was a vitreous alloy, an interesting property of which is self-healing under pressure on it. In the course of the experiment, a piece of glass from synthetic polymers was split in two, after which two of its parts were pushed against each other with effort. In just a few minutes the result became noticeable, and the two parts “grew together”. The full effect is achieved in six hours.

After that, the material again has a strong structure and can withstand loads. This is due to the fact that the separated molecules of the material tend to reunite.

The new material is able not only to “heal” the scratches, but completely regenerate even after the fracture. Prospects for its application are very large. For sure, the regenerating glass can be used for glass elements of electronics, as well as smartphone screens.

But while Japanese scientists have not talked about commercial plans.