Transparent Aluminum....

Howdy all,
Just thought that This
Is pretty radical. Wow, bout time to step into the "space age".
I wonder what it costs?
Is it available to the public?

Wow, haven't heard about transparent aluminum? Well, it's actually transparent alumina glass.
A development of 3M.


physicsweb.org...

I had some materials strengths numbers. But now hard to find.
Looks like the information has dropped from the 3M website.
Electrically conductive.
Hardness close to that of aluminum.
Toughness should be fairly high.

These abstracts compare it to sapphire in properties, for use in hypersonic infra-red missile seeker domes.
www.navysbir.com...
www.dawnbreaker.com... (PDF file)

Corning Glass Works (Corning, NY) appears to hold the patent.
freepatentsonline.com...

NASA is said to be interested in it's use for shuttle viewports. Greater resistance to impact strikes.

The first practical use of this might be very bright permanent lane markers on our highways.

[edit on 18-10-2005 by ZPE StarPilot]

Actually this stuff is not Alumina it's aluminum oxynitride

Alumina is Aluminium oxide. Different molecular makeup allthough it is very similiar.

Man and here I thought you needed Scotty and a really old Mac computer plus some whales and time travel

Look at this from the same article

In extensive testing, ALONtm has performed well against multiple hits of .30 caliber armor piercing rounds -- typical of anti-aircraft fire, Lieutenant La Monica said. Tests focusing on multiple hits from .50 caliber rounds and improvised explosive devices are in the works.

.30 cal is pretty stout stuff

Originally posted by FredT
Man and here I thought you needed Scotty and a really old Mac computer plus some whales and time travel

lmao...i had the exact same thought...

"computer...computer"
"just use the keyboard"
"keyboard...how quaint."


edited for typos


[edit on 19-10-2005 by snafu7700]

Humm.... a transparent fighter jet might make for some interesting images.
Or how about transparent aluminum doors, or windows that would not shatter?
The possibilities are endless.

Heh Scotties ashes are going up into orbit soon.

How fitting that this should come about at this time

news.bbc.co.uk...

R.I.P.

against multiple hits of .30 caliber armor piercing rounds -- typical of anti-aircraft fire

.30 cal as an AA weapon? maybe during ww2, but at the moment: No way
But getting winshields proof for example 7.62x56R AP rounds would be nice, or even against .50cals

The material would be good in Recon vehicles to maximize field of vision without sacrificing protection

I also had Star Trek going through my mind when I read this--"How do we know he didn't invent it?"

One thing I'm curious about, given the lower weight would it be reasonable to use it as supplementary armor? I know it's got a fairly hefty price tag, but it might be worth it to throw an extra half-inch to an inch around a vehicle for some extra protection without weighing it down much.

Originally posted by FredT .30 cal is pretty stout stuff

Depends WHICH .30 cal.

.300 Winchester Magnum - Very stout
.30-06 - Stout
.30 Carbine - somewhat less than stout.

It's like saying that 7.62mm is powerful - there's more than one.

If I was purchasing a bullet resistant vest, this would ascend from the plain picky to the outright essential.