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.

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.

Self-healing glass: a cracking discovery from Japan

Great article to see this is becoming more and more frequent in our daily lives. It's not perfect yet, but it's another door to a whole new reality, a future reality where things will be fixed with ease.

So instead of going to a car shop to have your winshield fixed for x amount of dollars, it 'could' be a do it yourself fix in a decade or so without the flaws.

Anyway, i thought it was a cool article.

a reply to: Blender5L

Good find and nice pun!

Wow, that definitely contrasts with the fact that todays cell phone screens break way more often and easilier than cellphones from a decade ago.

Sounds better than tempered, but wonder it it will actually end up in cell phones. Just what apple needs, another reason to have an Y or Z version iP and slow down batteries on older versions!

Almost forgot the video.

a reply to: Blender5L

Nice lol...and posted in Breaking Alternative News, too.😹😹😹

a reply to: Planette

You use Apple?

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes
a reply to: Blender5L

Good find and nice pun!

Hey I thought so too lol

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes
a reply to: Planette

You use Apple?

I constantly see broken iPhone screens. Wonder if it's the quality of glass or just t hat there are far more out there.

a reply to: tigertatzen

It is kind of alternative don't you think?

a reply to: Planette

Yeah they break like a bird hitting a winshield at 60 mph, it's happened to me twice, not nice at all.

a reply to: Blender5L

If you get a chip in your windscreen fill it with superglue and the screen won't crack. Just push it in with a finger and rub clean any excess.... Your welcome...

Other than that, good story and I bet if marketed would take out a few glass manufacturing businesses.

a reply to: turbo8

Me too... Again, why use Apple? You just know it's gonna cost ya...

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

Nice tip, thanks

It would take out quite a few businesses, im sure. There's always going to be that %age of customers though who can't or wont do it themselves who like the old way of doing stuff, like my mom lol.

originally posted by: turbo8

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes
a reply to: Planette

You use Apple?

I constantly see broken iPhone screens. Wonder if it's the quality of glass or just t hat there are far more out there.

Android screens break as well. Replacement costs £150 . It's cheaper to replace an Android mobile phone.

If someone could find a way of using high-energy lasers or ultrasonics to weld the broken pieces together, that would be awesome.

a reply to: Blender5L

wow, i wonder if this could be the genesis of the technology which allows us to build massive underwater domes in the future? maybe in the not too distant future, there will be a colony of underwater habitats.

a reply to: Blender5L

Good find B.
Was reminded of this news:
Self-repairing spacesuit.

We are making great advances in materials-science.
Less influenced by politics than other sciences, and closer to the scientific ideal of improving life for Humans.

originally posted by: odzeandennz
a reply to: Blender5L

wow, i wonder if this could be the genesis of the technology which allows us to build massive underwater domes in the future? maybe in the not too distant future, there will be a colony of underwater habitats.

I never thought of that, great idea though! I could totally see that happening in the near future.

originally posted by: Nothin
a reply to: Blender5L

Good find B.
Was reminded of this news:
Self-repairing spacesuit.

We are making great advances in materials-science.
Less influenced by politics than other sciences, and closer to the scientific ideal of improving life for Humans.

Really good movie I liked it a lot. Yeah with this technology all venues of technology would benefit from it. Thx for the link

a reply to: Nothin

Here's something else, check this out.

Wonder how well this could stack up for space exploration or setting up bio domes across other planets too?