SELF-HEALING GLASS: A CRACKING DISCOVERY FROM JAPAN
A Japanese researcher has developed — by accident – a new type of glass
that can be repaired simply by pressing it back together after it cracks.
The discovery opens the way for super-durable glass that could triple
the lifespan of everyday products like car windows, construction materials,
fish tanks and even toilet seats.
Yu Yanagisawa, a chemistry researcher at the University of Tokyo, made
the breakthrough by chance while investigating adhesives that can be used on
wet surfaces.
Does this mean you will soon be able to repair those cracks on your
smartphone with a quick press of the fingers? Or surreptitiously piece together
a shattered beer glass dropped after one pint too many?
Well, not quite. Not now and in fact, not soon.
He made the breakthrough by chance while investigating adhesives that can be used on wet surfaces.
In a lab demonstration for AFP, Yanagisawa broke a glass sample into two pieces.
He then held the cross sections of the two pieces together for about 30 seconds until the glass repaired itself.
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But it does open a window of opportunity for researchers to explore
ways to make more durable, lightweight, glass-like items, like car windows.
In a lab demonstration for AFP, Yanagisawa broke a glass sample into
two pieces.
REPAIRED ITSELF
He then held the cross sections of the two pieces together for about 30
seconds until the glass repaired itself, almost resembling its original form.
To demonstrate its strength, he then hung a nearly full bottle of water
from the piece of glass — and it stayed intact.
The organic glass, made of a substance called polyether thioureas, is
closer to acrylic than mineral glass, which is used for tableware and
smartphone screens.
Other scientists have demonstrated similar properties by using rubber
or gel materials but Yanagisawa was the first to demonstrate the self-healing
concept with glass.
HYDROGEN BONDING
The secret lies in the thiourea, which uses hydrogen bonding to make
the edges of the shattered glass self-adhesive, according to Yanagisawa's
study.
But what use is all this if it cannot produce a self-healing smartphone
screen?
"It is not realistically about fixing what is broken, more about
making longer-lasting resin glass," Yanagisawa told AFP.
Glass products can fracture after years of use due to physical stress
and fatigue.
"When a material breaks, it has already had many tiny scars that
have accumulated to result in major destruction," Yanagisawa said.
"What this study showed was a path toward making a safe and
long-lasting resin glass", which is used in a wide range of everyday
items.
"We may be able to double or triple the lifespan of something that
currently lasts for 10 or 20 years", he said.
News source :AFP
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