Spray-on liquid glass is about to revolutionize almost everything

PhysOrg ^ | 2/2/10 | Lin Edwards

[nutmeg]

I seem to remember you work (worked?) for a glass company...?

[GeronL]

A whole building that can change colors and stuff. That would be cool.

[Neidermeyer]

I've used liquid glass for over 30 years...

[Joya]

Interesting, thanks.

[101voodoo]

"I wonder if this liquid glass will fill in gouges in windshield caused by sand and gravel."

That would probably screw up the optical purity of the glass because it would be thicker in some places (where the pits are) then others.

Perhaps if it were applied on a new windshield it could help prevent pitting.

[newfreep]

I’ve been using Zaino products the past couple of years - simply amazing stuff!

[conservativeharleyguy]

His booze, not mine.

[The Comedian]

Keeps cars looking new!

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[paulycy]

Nancy Pelosi's face has been a beta-test site for awhile now.

[Quix]

Hmmmm thanks.

[brytlea]

Fascinating!

[Alamo-Girl]

Somehow that sounds painful...

[brytlea]

Thank you, that was very interesting. I often use glass in my kiln, and I’m always interested in learning more about it!

[brytlea]

Oh man, I once accidentally sprayed hairspray right into my eye. It broke into little shards like glass! I would keep this material away from my eyes too.

[brytlea]

Me too, I can think of some cool applications!

[MHGinTN]

Palomar Observatory lenses

[SunkenCiv]

The liquid glass spray (technically termed "SiO2 ultra-thin layering") consists of almost pure silicon dioxide (silica, the normal compound in glass) extracted from quartz sand. Water or ethanol is added, depending on the type of surface to be coated. There are no additives, and the nano-scale glass coating bonds to the surface because of the quantum forces involved. According to the manufacturers, liquid glass has a long-lasting antibacterial effect because microbes landing on the surface cannot divide or replicate easily.

Or maybe they're captivated by their own image, like the mythical Narcissus. ;') Thanks LibWhacker.

[VanShuyten]

Glass is interesting. As an amorphous solid, it has no crystalline structure to lock the atoms in place. The base material, silicon dioxide (quartz) does have a crystal structure, but the stuff added to it to make glass prevents crystal formation. That makes it plastic at relatively low temperatures. It's essentially a solid at room temps and has no viscosity, but the temps that it starts flowing at vary wildly, depending on the dopants. Pretty cool stuff.

However, my BS meter is going off at the idea of a water- or alcohol "soluable glass".

[montag813]

soon almost every product you purchase will be coated with liquid glass.

Can't wait until toddlers chew on them and breathe in and swallow glass fibers. "Binder & Binder" plese pick up the white courtesy phone.