Gorilla Glass

Most of us know that Gorilla Glass is used as part of a touch-screen for hand-held phones and tablet computers. It was chosen because it is lightweight, durable, resistant to scratches, and tends to crack, rather than shatter when stressed, as Annie, a friend of mine recently found out.

Gorilla Glass, which is made by Corning is currently estimated to be in use by over a billion and a half devices and still growing. Corning makes the glass using a propriety chemical process that causes more than the normal number of ions to be introduced into the glass.

Now Corning has a deal with at least one car manufacturer to begin using the glass for windshields, likely as early as next year. The beauty of this glass is that it would cut down on the weight of the vehicle. It would also promote better gas mileage and better noise suppression.

Corning is working on another glass with unique properties, microbiological glass, which can kill bacteria on contact. Another exciting glass it is also working on is called Willow Glass, which is a bendable type of glass that is about as thin as a dollar bill. Bendable screens have been touted for use in foldable tablets for the past few years. Samsung has one in the lab now, but I do not know if the screen is glass or plastic.