When was the last time you cracked your mobile phone screen? Oh wait, is it shattered even now as you read it on your phone browser? Broken and cracked screen glass are so common. You get a new glass protector for the phone and it breaks the very next day. Sad life it is! But the good news is that you no longer have to deal with broken glass because Japanese scientists have discovered a self-healing glass.
Latest Discovery By Japanese Scientist
According to recent claims, a Japanese scientist who are actually a group of university students have discovered a self-healing glass that fixes itself on its own if only pressure is exerted on the broken glass screen.
Is It An Intentional Discovery?
Well, this is the interesting part. The discovery of the self-healing glass is in fact accidental. The researchers who have discovered this glass are in fact university students of the Tokyo University in Japan. They were carrying out an adhesive research study in the lab which accidently led them to discover the self-fixing polymers.
What Is The Self-Healing Glass?
The self-healing glass is basically a polymer compound that restores its original form and shape after being treated. This discovery was made in a lab where one of the researchers out of the group of students working together on an adhesive experiment noticed that a certain polymer restored its original shape within 30 seconds if it was held tightly together. The polymer was in fact intended to be used as a glue but it was not losing its shape and in fact restoring to original form once cut and held together. The only condition that was mandatory for this to happen was the temperature which required to be around 21 degree Celsius i.e. room temperature.
About The Polymer Compound
The compound that is expected to be used as a self-healing glass for mobile phones and other devices in near future is in fact a polymer. It is a very light weight polymer and is scientifically known as the polyether-thiourea. The compound namely ‘thiourea’ that is present inside the polymer comes with the ability to restore shape on its own. This compound chemically comes with the ability to create hydrogen bonding within seconds to prevent the chain of molecules from breaking. Hence even if it is cut, broken or harmed – it ends up restoring to its original form within seconds.
Not The Only Self-Healing Glass Yet Unique In Its Own Accord
This is certainly not the only self-healing glass. Many other similar discoveries have been made over the years. Let’s not forget about the robust glass that became very popular. However, this self-healing glass is unique in its own accord because unlike other glasses of the same category it does not require any to be put in or exposed to any particular conditions to heal. The fact that it is self-healing at room temperature makes it very unique and different.