Boil glass and metal? Now it is possible

Thanks to new technologies, you can do whatpreviously seemed simply impossible. For example, previously people could not use welding to combine two different materials, such as metal and glass. The problem was different melting points and degrees of expansion in response to heating. Researchers from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland have figured out how to solve this problem - they intend to create a welding device that combines materials using ultrafast laser pulses. The effectiveness of this method has already been proven.

Until now, to combine glass and differentmetals, people were forced to use glue. This method is extremely careless - the substance can easily flow out of the edges of the point of attachment and keep the materials so weak that in time they begin to subside. The composition of adhesives should also be considered - chemical compounds can reduce the service life of the final product.

New welding method impliesfastening materials using short laser pulses with a duration from picosecond to second. The process takes place at the closest contact of two materials - so on the border of two materials with an area of ​​only a few microns, tiny spots are created, which provide strong adhesion.

Coupling reliability has been verified attemperature from -50 to +90 degrees Celsius. To the surprise of the researchers, the welds remained intact, which means that it’s time for them to start developing a new generation of welding machines. The technology will find application in the construction of spacecraft, optics and even in medicine.

What do you think of the new invention? Feel free to write your opinion in the comments, and you can discuss the topic in more detail in our Telegram-chat.