- A new type of glass was developed that can repair itself.
- The discovery was made by accident when researchers at the University of Tokyo were researching new adhesives.
- Broken glass can fuse back together with firm pressure.
- It's still in its early stages, but it could have huge implications for smartphone displays.
While researching new kinds of adhesives, researchers at the University of Tokyo stumbled upon a type of glass that can repair its own cracks, according to Japan Today.
Two broken shards can fuse back together in just a few seconds with firm pressure, and the glass regains its original strength in a couple of hours.
The research is in its early stages, so don't be put off by the glass' brown color or the seam that remains after the glass has fused back together. As Japan Today says, "it's still a step in a hopeful direction."
Self-repairing glass is surely an appealing prospect for a wide range of industries. For the smartphone industry, it could mean self-healing displays and glass backs.
We've seen self-healing materials on smartphones before, like the LG G Flex and G Flex 2's plastic back that can repair light scratches from objects like keys. It was a great idea that wasn't exactly successful in the long run, as smartphones haven't adopted the self-healing plastic since. Perhaps that's because smartphone makers were veering away from plastic on their premium devices in favor of metal or glass.
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The LG G Flex had a self-healing back that could repair light scratches over time.
But self-healing glass is arguably more appealing. Still, I wouldn't hold onto to my current smartphone until self-healing glass becomes more mainstream, as it can be several years before self-healing glass becomes fully developed and ready for smartphones.
It's simply good to know that self-healing glass has been discovered, and it could become a reality in the near future.