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Nairaland Forum / Science/Technology / [iphone 6 ]engineers Have Created A Scratch-proof Case. (647 Views)
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[iphone 6 ]engineers Have Created A Scratch-proof Case. by jamb20s: 2:55pm On Sep 20, 2014 |
Engineers have figured out how to mass produce and shape metallic glass, and are using it to create the toughest smartphone case yet. Image Here http://pda.sciencealert.com.au/images/stories/new2014/Resized/Screen_Shot_2014-09-17_at_5web_168x112.jpg Researchers at Yale University in the US have created a thin, lightweight smartphone case that’s harder than steel but as easy to shape as plastic. The case is made from bulk metallic glass (BMG) - a class of strong but flexible materials that have been around for years but, until recently, engineers have struggled to find a way to shape them into useful structures. BMGs, or amorphous metals, are alloys that are made up of a combination of metals, but don't have an orderly metallic atomic structure in their solid state. Unlike normal metals, which crytallise when they're cooled below melting point, BMGs are cooled so fast that the liquid freezes without crystallising, essentially "locking in" a glassy state. This gives them a range of awesome properties, such as superior strength and a plastic-like flexibility. Now Jan Shroers, a mechanical engineer and material scientist from Yale, has developed a new way of printing supercool metals into sheets, allowing them to be easily moulded into different shapes with very little energy input - something Shroers has called “thermoplastic forming”. Instead of melting down BMGs and trying to force them into a mould, as had previously been attempted, Shroers takes the sheets and uses gas pressure to deform them into the correct shape. While Shroers has used this new technique to turn BMGs into speciality production items such as watch components and sensors, he’s now set his sights on very shiny smartphone cases. “It’s obvious. The important properties in a cell phone case are hardness and weight," said Shroers. “This material is 50 times harder than plastic, nearly 10 times harder than aluminum and almost three times the hardness of steel.” The case also requires little energy to produce and is pretty to look at. But importantly, because it's harder than normal metals, it can't be scratched by keys or other items rattling around in your bag. Of course, the BMG material won’t cover your iPhone screen, but the lip on the case will help take the force when you drop it face-down Shroers is now hoping to scale up the process and have the smartphone cases on the market within the next couple of years. Hopefully that’s soon enough to stop you shattering your next iPhone. |
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