Researchers have now created a new type of glass using nothing but sound waves and salt. Sure, that might sound like one heck of a science experiment—and in a way, it is—but it’s also a major breakthrough that could completely reinvent glass as we know it.
According to reports from New Atlas, the new type of glass could allow us to make glass without using harsh chemicals for self-cleaning windshields, as well as glass that can automatically cleanse itself of germs. Finally, reports indicate it could even help us make better beer.
Being able to reinvent how we make specialized glass, like water-resistant glass, will drastically change how we access these expanded materials. As it stands now, engineers usually have to take one of two routes when making this kind of glass. They can either use silanization reactions—where a molecular compound is bound to the surface of the glass—or they can coat the glass with polymers.
However, this new method could allow us to reinvent how we make these types of glass by only requiring the use of sound waves and salt. During testing, the researchers submerged regular glass into a nontoxic bath of diazonium salts. Then, they used ultrasound waves tuned to the frequency of 24kHz to permanently alter the glass.
The sound waves essentially created microscopic bubbles in the salt solution. Then, when the bubbles collapsed, they created tiny bursts of heat and pressure which triggered a reaction with the glass. This completely altered the surface of the glass by adding an organic layer to it.
The researchers say that the new method of creating this glass could lead to clearer car windshields or even self-cleaning windows on buildings. However, reinvented glass could also improve how we produce biofuel and water filtration systems.
Considering how prevalent microplastics have become—and the fact the Trump administration is targeting EPA rulings that could see toxic waste being dumped in our water again—having new ways to clean the water we drink more effectively is a win-win for everyone.
The researchers highlighted their findings in a new study published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.
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