The main ingredient of traditional glass is silicon dioxide, but friends who have watched Star Trek may remember some of the 'transparent aluminum' materials mentioned. Although 'science fiction shines into reality' is not always the case, but recently, Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have also made a breakthrough — creating a zinc-based 'metal organic compound glass'. This material is called ZIF-62, and its structural formula is imidazolate and benzimidazole ( Benzimidazolate) A zinc atom surrounded by molecules.
ZIF-62 is a metal organic compound (1 metal atom + 2 types of organic compounds)
Friends who are familiar with the glass process may have a slight impression on the boron, polymers, and metals that are added to the manufacturing process. However, the latest research at Penn State University has created a new type of glass.
It is worth mentioning that this new material is not only easier to form glass and more flexible, but also has the same pyramidal atomic structure as quartz glass. (Zinc is at the vertex, and four organic compounds are connected next to it)
According to the definition of academia, 'Glass' must be sufficiently smooth and non-crystalline, and therefore must be carefully balanced in the production process. Regardless of the type of material used, it must be heated to the point of melting and then rapidly cooled (so that There will be no crystal formation).
In other words, a certain material has a method to avoid crystallization, that is to say, it has the ability to form glass. In the traditional process, silicon glass has the best glass forming ability. However, the researchers spent more and the performance of ZIF-62 is even better.
In fact, the characteristics of ZIF-62 have surpassed the existing 50 kinds of glass, and are more flexible than silicon-based glass. By adjusting the formula, the researchers found that the more benzimidazolate is added, the glass of the material is formed. The better the ability.
Study Diagram-2: Nature Change Analysis Diagram (via: Science Advances)
Of course, ZIF-62 is not without its disadvantages compared with the silicon-based glass process that has been purified and refined for thousands of years. In the early stages of development, new materials still have difficulty competing with traditional processes. In order to create new metal organic glass, First of all to form organic compounds.
It is first mixed with hydrated zinc nitrate and a solvent and then heated to a temperature of about 800°F (427°C) for a long time to fully melt. However, if the temperature exceeds 980°F (527°C), it is Started to vaporize.
At present, researchers have conducted experiments on the optical and mechanical properties of ZIF-62. However, while understanding the nature of the material, the research team is also looking for ways to mass-produce it in the future.
The co-author of the paper, John C. Mauro, said: 'This glass family is very novel. Although we have already determined its glass forming ability and other attributes, we still do not fully describe all of its material properties'.
In the future, the researchers also plan to explore other metallo-organic glass formulations, including possible cobalt-based glass. Details of this research have been published in the recently published "Science Advances" journal.
