Glass is hugely important in the technology sector, and that shouldn’t surprise us. For example, think of your smartphone, its display will be protected by some of the versions of Gorilla Glass that Corning has launched, which are undoubtedly very advanced and durable solutions, although not as much as LionGlass, a new kind of glass which is very promising and could be a turning point in the sector.

This new type of crystal was developed by researchers at Pennsylvania State University and according to the official information they offered, it is up to 10 times more durable than traditional glass. In their tests, LionGlass did not break even under the maximum possible load, which was a load of one kilogram using a Vickers diamond indenter. For comparison purposes, normal glass broke in the same test under a load of just 100 grams.

Interesting, no doubt, but it should also be highlighted that this new crystal has much lower melting point than traditional glass (between 300 and 400 degrees C less), which means that it is not necessary to generate as much heat in the furnaces to melt it. This is exactly what reduces energy consumption when working with LionGlass and makes it a more sustainable type of glass. On the other hand, it also means less wear and tear on casting equipment and could extend their life.

One of the people responsible for this project is John Mauro, professor of materials science and engineering at Pennsylvania State University, who was involved in the development of Gorilla Glass and other types of glass-based solutions during his tenure at Corning. With this background it is clear that we are dealing with a true expert in the world of glass.

LionGlass looks really interesting and could become one of the most important solutions in the technology sector if its use as a means of protection becomes viable. For that the essential thing is that it can be applied in very thin layersas is currently the case with Gorilla Glass, a requirement that Mauro is well aware of and which this new glass would seem to perfectly meet.

The researchers have already applied for a LionGlass patent, so he is very serious about his goal of turning it into a business solution. Right now they are in a more advanced stage of their research and are testing the new crystal by exposing different compositions to different chemicals to test their reaction. This is key to determining how it might be used in the real world and what they can expect.