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Because the site is not coming up for I will post my first thought: "A single acid drop turns lots of things see-through" The page finally open and wow. Can I

• dlcarrier 2y ago
  From the abstract, it looks like they've tuned an anodization process to go all they way through the aluminum. Transparent aluminum predates the existence of life on earth. Oxidized metals and transition metals result in a crystal or glass that is clear, hard, heat tolerant, and brittle. It's not malleable like metal, but the extra hardness and heat tolerance makes it extremely useful in applications where malleability isn't needed. Anodizing aluminum oxidizes it into what is technically corundum but most people call artificial sapphire. Usually it's used to coat the surface of an already formed aluminum object, so that it has a hard surface, but otherwise functions like any other piece of aluminum. Artificial sapphire has a lot of uses, and historically has been used to make the window in watches, and is still used for screens on modern smart watches. There are a few phone models that use sapphire instead of silica glass, but it's rare because it isn't as drop resistant. The process outlined in the paper may make it easier to manufacture artificial sapphire products, especially ones that are in any shape other than a flat sheet, but it's not a new material.