Scientists from McGill University have developed stronger and tougher glass, inspired by the inner layer of mollusc shells. The new material is three times stronger than normal glass, and more than five times more fracture-resistant. It has the resiliency of plastic and could be used to improve cell phone screens in the future.
The scientists took the architecture of the mother of pearl or nacre and replicated it with layers of glass flakes and acrylic, creating an exceptionally strong yet opaque material that can be produced easily and inexpensively. They then made the composite optically transparent.
“Nature is a master of design. Studying the structure of biological materials and understanding how they work offers inspiration, and sometimes blueprints, for new materials. Amazingly, nacre has the rigidity of a stiff material and durability of a soft material, giving it the best of both worlds. It’s made of stiff pieces of chalk-like matter that are layered with soft proteins that are highly elastic. This structure produces exceptional strength,” says associate professor Allen Ehrlicher.
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