The new method increases the durability of glass

There are many inventions around us that are inspired by nature and recently, scientists at McGill University in Montreal, Canada have created a new process that increases the strength of glass and when dropped, Objects produced using this technology tend to be distorted rather than broken.

Let's first think about the oysters - the inspiration of the invention. When you look at the inner surface of a mollusk such as abalone, oyster, or oyster, you will see an iridescent material. This is called nacre and is also a factor in the durability of the shell. The outer surface of the shell is composed mainly of calcium carbonate is very brittle, fragile.

The research team led by Professor Francois Barthelat studied the inner structure of the nacre - a layer composed of very small sheets interwoven. They also discovered that the boundaries between these microscopic plates were not straight but instead wavy, like the edges of a jigsaw puzzle in a paper jigsaw puzzle.

The scientists simulated this boundary in microscopic glass plates, using a laser to sculpt a network of micro wave-shaped cracks in their interior. When glass plates are exposed, the cracks in the microphones absorb and disperse energy, keeping the glass from breaking. As a result, the glass treated with the technique is 200 times more durable than ordinary glass tablets.

Professor Barthelat believes that increasing the processing rate from small glass blocks to large glass panels is very simple and the team is also planning to apply the technique to brittle materials such as ceramics and polymers. McGill University research report has just been published in the journal Nature Communications.