While carbon fiber, aluminum and Kevlar have limited use in portable applications, things are a little different in the field of protective coatings for displays. Among the screens with increased resistance to abrasion, scratches and other mechanical damage, there has long been an effective leader. He is known to everyone. We are talking about Gorilla Glass, the features of which we will talk about today.
A trip to history
Although this material has been known in the modern world for only five years, the innovative technical solution has a little-known predecessor, which was invented back in the 60s of the XX century. According to Corning experts, some of the very first experiments aimed at improving the strength parameters of glass were started 50 years ago.
The result of these studies was the material, which acquired the name Chemcor. Unfortunately, the product was ahead of its time and did not find any practical application in that era. It remained unappreciated, so by now there are practically no concrete examples of its use in wide use. Only a few racing cars in the United States of America received some glass elements due tolighter weight Chemcor than conventional products.
However, Corning engineers have repeatedly emphasized that Gorilla Glass is fundamentally different from its predecessor. You should not assume that the modern coating for smartphone and tablet displays was invented more than half a century ago. Now Chemcor could be used as a protective screen for mobile phones and other compact gadgets, but its cost is much higher due to different production methods and technologies.
Demand
Only in 2006, when work on the first generation iPhone started, did Apple face the need to improve the mechanical resistance of polymer screens, which were then used everywhere.
There is a legend that this issue became interested only after the prototype of the smartphone was in the pocket with the keys of one of the top managers during a morning run. The steel left a few noticeable scratches that marred Apple's triumph. As a result, the challenge was accepted, and Steve Jobs agreed with Corning, which had experience in developing a suitable polymer coating.
Despite the fact that the presentation of the smartphone from Apple was scheduled for early 2007 (its release was supposed to take place only a little later), the task was completed in full. Corning was able to improve its product and supply the required amount of Gorilla Glass polymer films for Steve Jobs Corporation.
It is worth noting that although metal objects are not inable to leave marks on the protective coating, it is still powerless in front of individual sand particles. Penetrating into the pockets of users and causing various defects on the ideal surface of phone screens, these silicate particles are still a problem for many high-tech devices.
Recognition
In the first few years after the advent of Gorilla Glass, glass with such outstanding features filled a highly sought-after niche. But technological research on the further development of the material did not stand still. The next five years were spent on comprehensive improvement, the goal of which was to obtain a product with a minimum thickness, but at least the same strength.
The results were not long in coming, and at the beginning of 2012 a worthy alternative appeared - Gorilla Glass 2, the linear dimensions of which decreased by 20%. Although other characteristics of the protective coating have not changed significantly, this material has allowed manufacturers to produce more compact and productive gadgets. There was a choice: to leave the weight and thickness of technical means at the same level, or to make their protective screens stronger and smaller in size.
Second "Gorilla"
Due to the introduction of second-generation Corning Gorilla Glass, the optical properties of displays and their functionality have improved. Reducing the thickness of the material led to the fact that the viewing angles and brightness increased, the sensor matrices became much more sensitive to touch, and about significantthe difficulties of "winter management" could be forgotten. This, to a certain extent, ensured the popularity of touchscreen gadgets and brought their sales to an unattainable level.
Cooperation with giants
During the same 2012, Corning was noted for its collaboration with Samsung, which was interested in further developing polymer coatings with improved properties. According to the terms of reference, it was necessary to create an alternative that could simultaneously replace existing solutions and complement them. It's not just about the variety of smartphones with Gorilla Glass.
Samsung was interested in improving the resistance to thermal stress, which increased the response of touch displays and led to reduced deformation during mechanical pressure. This increased the resource of the touchscreen and improved its usability.
The result of the interaction between the two companies was the emergence of Lotus Glass. This material fully satisfied all the required parameters. However, a certain functional distribution has also emerged: the Gorilla Glass screen is only a coating, while Lotus is a substrate for displays, which does not provide scratch protection. Thus, these materials began to be used only together, which greatly increases the strength of the screen, its resistance to shock, cracking and other mechanical stress.
The next round of evolution for Corning products took place as part of CES-2013. Then Gorilla Coating was introducedGlass 3 that is 50% more impact resistant and at least 40% more scratch resistant. As part of the exhibition in Las Vegas, these figures were confirmed to the public. The outstanding results, which can be called almost flawless, led to the application of a new protective coating on the iPhone5S and flagships from Samsung.
Distribution
The bottom line is that Gorilla Glass has found its way into over 30 major electronics manufacturers, and the protective coating itself has been installed on at least 300 million devices worldwide.
That's the brief history of this protective material's triumph, but it's not to be missed either.
Purpose
The main purpose of this coating is to minimize the consequences that can develop with significant dynamic or static impacts. At the same time, this protective screen is required to maintain a compact size, thickness and light weight of devices at a low cost, distortion of picture quality and touch screen sensitivity.
Production
The secret of Gorilla Glass 3's strength lies in the high-tech chemical treatment of glass, during which ions are exchanged. To do this, the material is placed in a solution of potassium s alts, which is heated to a temperature of at least 400 degrees Celsius. This is followed by the process of replacing the sodium ions present in the glass with charged potassium particles - they are large.
According to the resultscooling and extraction of the feedstock from the solution, the linear dimensions of the glass are reduced, the substituted potassium densifies the surface of the material, which makes it possible to obtain a more durable and uniform layer of the substance.
The manufacturing process of Gorilla Glass 3 is optimized so that many particles penetrate through its thickness and evenly strengthen the protective coating.
Geography
To date, Corning's manufacturing locations have not changed much. Production has only expanded, and in addition to the United States of America, the protective coating is produced in Taiwan and Japan.
Thickness
If we talk about changes in the linear dimensions of the material, then it is worth mentioning the ubiquity of Gorilla Glass. A smartphone without this tempered glass is already impossible to imagine, although the permissible coating thickness is only from 0.5 to 2 millimeters (this is 10-50 times greater than the diameter of a human hair).
It is unnecessary to use 2 mm material for mobile phones, since the total thickness of modern gadgets rarely exceeds 1 cm, and such an increase in dimensions can lead to a decrease in performance characteristics and performance. Therefore, for smartphones and other ultra-compact electronics, a protective coating of up to 0.8 mm is used, which does not lead to a deterioration in performance or strength. If tempered glass is intended for TVs or laptops, then a material with a thickness of 2 mm is used. It provides the perfect combinationreliability and wear resistance.
Strength
Measurement of this parameter for Corning Gorilla Glass 3 was carried out by the Vickers method, which is a process of indentation of a diamond-coated prism with an angle of 136 degrees, the countdown of which starts from opposite faces of the figure.
To determine the hardness in this case, the standard physical pressure values accepted in the international SI system are used. The usual measure in this case is Pascals (Pa), the meaning of which is the ratio of the applied load to the interaction area. According to Vickers, a simplified method for recording hardness is adopted, it is displayed in HV symbols. This method is most often used for thin sheet materials, which include protective coatings. For example: 120HV50 means that under the influence of a force of fifty kilograms, the hardness was 120 units. In generally accepted cases, the duration of the applied impact is about ten to fifteen seconds. However, if necessary, the duration of the load test is added at the end of the record, followed by a slash 30. The full display will look like this: 120HV50/30.
Dry Facts
According to the test results, the hardness of Gorilla Glass (the first generation phones were equipped with it) was about 700 units under the action of a force of two hundred grams. For example: iron is characterized by an indicator of only 30 units. – 80HV5. As can be seen from the example of these values, the hardness of the studied protective layer exceeds this indicator for ordinary soda(soda-lime) glass at least three times. To explain in more detail, the most common type of this material is found in external glazing or bottles.
Public trials
Corning has done a lot of demonstrations that actually confirmed this figure. At exhibitions, anyone could be convinced of the reliability of the declared values when, using a miniature press, ordinary glass 1 mm thick and Gorilla Glasss were pierced. In the first case, destruction occurred at a load of twenty-three kilograms, while in the second - at least fifty-five kilograms. This gives a safety factor of 2.4. However, for the third Gorilla, these values are 50% higher, and the compared safety margin will exceed 3.6 times.
This explains why the entire constellation of leading electronics manufacturers is following the development of this breathable material and doing everything possible to quickly update the glossy faces of their smartphones and other gadgets. Since the end of 2013, almost all the flagships of the electronics industry have acquired a heavy-duty novelty from Corning.
This event did not pass by the eyes of ordinary users, who, as always, pay attention to the practical side of the issue. They immediately began to follow where they apply innovative development, because numerous studies and surveys made it possible to foresee all the nuances of operation.
This tempered glass has been tested not only for mechanical impact resistance, but also for impactmany chemical and biological substances, as well as foodstuffs and cosmetics. Now perfume, lipstick, shaving products, water or alcohol will not damage its structure. In addition, Gorilla Glass is easy to clean - just wipe it with a dry cloth, and fingerprints are gone. There is no need to spend money on special detergents. This advantage will be fully appreciated by the owners of smartphones or tablets with other types of protective coating, they, like no one else, are aware of the difficulties that arise when cleaning.
As a result, the most vulnerable part of the phone - the display - has become its advantage. Thanks to its many strengths, Gorilla outperforms its competitors in all respects and does not leave them a chance.
