Mother-of-pearl: unbreakable, transparent and a model for new materials. | Image: zVg

The materials scientists Tommaso Magrini and André Studart of ETH Zurich have developed a novel, composite material that is as scratch-resistant and shatterproof as mother-of-pearl. It doesn’t develop cracks after impact either. It’s transparent, made of glass platelets and plexiglass, and an unusual combination of characteristics makes it ideal for manufacturing robust displays for smartphones, for example.

T. Magrini et al.: Transparent Nacre-like Composites Toughened through Mineral Bridges. Advanced Functional Materials (2020)

CC BY-NC-ND