by It sounds like something that is torn from a science fiction film: a metal that is as strong as aluminum but completely transparent. And yet transparent metal is very real and could soon appear in everything, from electronics to space technology.
Imagine your next iPhone or smart tablet with a metal display instead of glass. That reality can be much closer than you think because of a new breakthrough that scientists have enabled to make this ultrahard, scratch -resistant material cheaper and more accessible than ever before.
Meet transparent aluminum oxide (Talox). Of course, it may have a foolish sounding name, but Taiox is a game -changing material. This substance is known for its durability, heat resistance and optical brightness – yes, it is quite literally transparent metal.
Despite how impressive it is, Talox is difficult and expensive to produce. That is because it requires powerful lasers, vacuum rooms or vessels of dangerous acids to create the material. Scientists from Ateneneo de Manila University in the Philippines may have just found a way to change that.
Instead of trusting complicated machines to create the creation of this transparent metal, the scientists discovered a way to change aluminum in Taiox using a few microdropettes acid and an electric current. It is all possible thanks to a technique called “Drop scale anodization.”
The key to this process is electrowing. In essence, this is used when an electric field is used to change the properties of liquid drops, making precise, controlled responses on a microscopic level possible. In combination with this technique, the metal not only becomes clear, but it remains just as strong as before.
There are of course several possible use cases for a transparent metal like this. It can be used to offer strong, scratch-resistant screens for smart devices, and to make ultra-durable coatings for vehicles such as cars, spacecraft and even aircraft. The scientists say that it can even help to protect the optical sensors needed for AI-driven devices such as self-driving cars.
Of course we are still far away from Taiox all over the world. But it is nice to know that tomorrow’s smartphones can benefit from something so useful – and that it could even help us in our losing fight against climate change.
