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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: headdie on November 06, 2015, 12:06:51 pm

Title: Bones and Scotty have been looking for Whale tanks
Post by: headdie on November 06, 2015, 12:06:51 pm
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2015/11/transparent-aluminum/?hash=e1df7c3c-6923-4bec-bf9e-995ad2b3c3aa
http://www.nrl.navy.mil/media/news-releases/2015/transparent-armor-from-nrl-spinel-could-also-ruggedize-your-smart-phone

and so Transparent Aluminum is now real, its a thing, Star Trek will happen
Title: Re: Bones and Scotty have been looking for Whale tanks
Post by: Dragon on November 06, 2015, 12:40:35 pm
That looks handy. It'll be useful for lightweight applications such as satellites and aircraft. I wonder if it's malleable like aluminium, or more like plastic?
Title: Re: Bones and Scotty have been looking for Whale tanks
Post by: Blue Lion on November 06, 2015, 02:58:07 pm
Hello computer

(I got nothing)
Title: Re: Bones and Scotty have been looking for Whale tanks
Post by: perihelion on November 06, 2015, 04:41:01 pm
It isn't a transparent aluminum.  It isn't a metal.  It is ceramic.  Magnesium aluminate.  MgAl2O4  aka Spinel.  It has some history as a gem stone, but this is a pretty neat development on the industrial side.  Every industrial ceramic I can bring to mind is optically opaque, either by virtue of their basic properties or of the powder-sintering method used to form them into useful shapes.

There's a tool I help design and maintain that would be awfully sexy if we could use something like, but I bet the cost would be pretty outrageous.
Title: Re: Bones and Scotty have been looking for Whale tanks
Post by: Mongoose on November 06, 2015, 07:32:02 pm
Man now I'm  having flashbacks to picking up spinels every ten feet in Resident Evil 4. :D
Title: Re: Bones and Scotty have been looking for Whale tanks
Post by: Deepstar on November 12, 2015, 05:27:36 pm
Quote from: Blue Lion on November 06, 2015, 02:58:07 pm
Hello computer

(I got nothing)

Because it is "Hey Cortana" or "Hey Siri" nowadays ;).
Title: Re: Bones and Scotty have been looking for Whale tanks
Post by: z64555 on November 12, 2015, 07:01:36 pm
Neat. Wonder how it compares to fused quartz?