Gorilla Glass - glass that has become one of the main features modern smartphones... Manufacturers are trying to draw the attention of users to the proposed devices, whose shock resistance is considered an important characteristic.
Today we will discover what Gorilla Glass 3 is and discuss the technology behind this highly durable display coating. mobile devices.
What is Gorilla Glass?
Gorilla Glass is light, thin and durable glass from Corning. It does not interfere with the operation of the touchscreen, moreover, it is lighter than other options for a protective coating. Different types of this glass are installed at billions of mobile gadgets, and the reason for this is its high durability.
How is Gorilla Glass made?
Corning products are made from silicon dioxide and chemical additives. The mixture is exposed to tremendous temperatures resulting in the formation of aluminosilicate glass. The first device to be protected with this material was the iPhone.
The glass melt is poured into a special container, from where it flows into a trough, and then cools down. The specificity of the technology allows you to get a perfectly flat surface. The thickness of the material does not exceed 2 mm. Then a special device cuts off the layers of glass, sending it for further chemical processing.
The essence of the procedure is to replace sodium ions in the material with potassium ions. To do this, he is sent to a hot salt bath. As the glass cools, the potassium ions exert significant pressure on each other, resulting in a stress that increases its strength.
Is glass really that strong?
The first and second generations of Gorilla Glass were not particularly durable. They could be scratched by any grain of sand. In the third version, the shock resistance has noticeably increased, now it has become problematic to damage the screen of a smartphone protected by glass from Corning. The parameters have significantly improved with the arrival of the fourth version, and in the summer of 2016 the fifth generation was announced, which should surpass all its predecessors.
You can break such glass, but only use the phone as a hammer.
During the tests, a half-kilogram steel ball was dropped on it from a height of two meters - the material was not damaged.
Gorilla on mobile
Products of different companies are equipped with such glass:
- Apple;
- Lenovo;
- Samsung;
In official testing, smartphones are thrown from a meter height onto the asphalt, thereby demonstrating the absence of any damage. If the height is higher, cracks may appear on the screen, but the smart phone will not lose its functionality. The described product has great potential, and the company does not intend to stop at only smartphones - coatings are already being made for TV screens and car windshields.
In this article, we will analyze what Gorilla Glass is, how the technology has changed, and what are the disadvantages and advantages of Corning's protective glass.
Manufacturers began to think about protecting phone screens immediately with the advent of touch screens.
This technology has become incredibly popular.
But, at first, it was not available to everyone because of the cost. And now they even put protected glass in budget phones.
Gorilla Glass history
The first developments with protective glass appeared in the middle of the 20th century. And the American company Corning came up with this technology.
First, back in 1959, experiments were carried out on processing glass with compounds of various chemicals in order to increase its strength.
Such glasses were developed as part of the Project Muscle project. Glasses were planned to be used in cars and airplanes.
The next step was the creation of the highly durable Chemcor glass.
But this technology was not widespread. The process was too expensive and costly.
But that all changed with the arrival of Apple. More precisely, the company's needs to create durable glass for the future hit - the iPhone.
Steve Jobs did not like the fact that the then existing coverage options touch screens scratched very quickly.
He turned his attention to the development of Corning. Actually, financial investments from Apple allowed the development of Gorilla Glass technology.
How Gorilla Glass is made
Jobs needed a material to replace the plastic used in phones.
Touchscreens then scratched "with a bang." And the head of Apple did not like it at all.
This is where Corning's development came in handy, which was called Gorilla Glass.
In 2007, this was an incredible breakthrough. And this is despite the rather large thickness of the glass - 1 mm.
But for that time it was normal. Back then, even the rather plump first iPhone was considered thin.
The first generation of glass was made from aluminosilicate.
Time changed, phones began to "grow thin". And smartphones required thinner glass.
Gorilla Glass Testing
Gorilla Glass Testing
Second generation - Gorilla Glass 2
The new Gorilla Glass appeared in January 2012. Corning was able to create glass that was almost 20% thinner and four times stronger than its predecessor.
It turned out to be done thanks to a new method of creation.
Now potassium ions penetrated deeper into the glass, creating stronger bonds.
The novelty was presented not in conjunction with a telephone, but was shown at the exhibition.
This allowed the company to conclude lucrative contracts with other smartphone manufacturers, not only.
As a result, the protected glass Gorilla Glass 2 appeared in brands such as Nokia, Motorola, LG, and others.
Glass has appeared on 200 million smartphones around the world.
Gorilla Glass 2 check
By the way, this glass is on all variants. Samsung Galaxy S6, on Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note 5.
Also in Huawei models such as Nexus 6P and Ascend P8.
LG has protected glass fourth generation used on Nexus 5X and LG G4.
Gorilla Glass 4 inspection and testing
New generation - Gorilla Glass 5
The most recent version of Corning's protective glass so far is Gorilla Glass 5.
Naturally, the glass is stronger than the previous generation.
The company's engineers claim that the glass is 1.8 times stronger than its predecessor.
And, at the same time, four times stronger than competitors.
Tests have shown that glass is not damaged in 80% of falls.
This is when falling from a height of one meter 60 centimeters. In fact, when you drop out of your pocket, your screen remains intact.
But, if you are taller than the average size, the glass is unlikely to withstand a fall on the asphalt.
Also, independent experiments have shown that Gorilla Glass 5 is even easier to scratch than the previous generation. But, what cannot be taken away, it is really durable.
The first phone to receive this glass was the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.
Gorilla Glass 5 test video
Competitors Gorilla Glass 5
According to statistics, by the middle of 2016, Gorilla Glass was installed on more than 4.5 billion devices in the world.
Naturally, such popularity could not create competition.
On this moment several companies come up with their own solutions to protect the screens of our smartphones.
The simplest solution is to use a sapphire crystal. By the way, it is used to cover the main chambers on.
Such glass is really not afraid of scratches. After all, you can only damage it with a diamond.
But it is more fragile. And the manufacturing cost does not allow to put it on screens.
Dragontrail
Another option is Dragontrail tempered glass. It is produced by the Japanese company Asahi (a division of Mitsubishi).
It is cheaper to manufacture than Gorilla Glass.
In terms of characteristics, Dragontrail is tougher than ordinary glass.
Not surprisingly, smartphone makers have embraced glass.
Most often they are put on budget models companies such as, and.
Even Sony chose this glass for its Z series flagships.
Xensation Cover
Another competitor, Gorilla Glass, is produced in Germany. This is the Xensation Cover from Schott.
Their development was first presented in 2012.
And now Xensation Cover has become the main rival of Gorilla Glass both in terms of strength and availability.
In 2016, Schott's clients included a Chinese Meizu who used these glasses in their budget M3 phones.
A newcomer to the market of protective glasses for smartphones is Dinorex. But Nippon itself has been producing protective glass for automobiles and construction since 1918.
With the advent of computers, Nippon switched to.
And now it's time for smartphones.
The company has two glass models in its arsenal - Dinorex T2X-1 and Dinorex T2X-0.
And, if the first option was just a protective glass, the second option was designed specifically for touch screens.
conclusions
Gorilla Glass has pioneered the fast-growing market for screen protectors.
And, if it doesn't have many worthy competitors yet, Corning should consider the future of Gorilla Glass.
Users need strong shatterproof screens that would not be scratched. There are no such offers on the market yet.
Nevertheless, now Corning makes glass not only for phones, but also rapidly develops the car market.
For example, she created protective glass for the Ford car company. The first model was the GT coupe.
As a result, the car received glass that is thinner and lighter than usual, while not being afraid of scratches.
Moreover, this glass was made multilayer using sound-absorbing plastic.
As you can see, Corning is not going to stop there.
- Protects your phone screen
- Shock and scratch resistant
- Affordable enough
- The modern generation of glasses scratches quickly
Video review of Gorilla Glass and other glasses
What is Gorilla Glass? Gorilla Glass is a glass for mobile displays that is durable and protects the screen from shocks. Find out in this article how you can use protection for other devices. What are the competitors in Gorilla Glass. And also about all the nuances of its use in more detail below.
History of creation
According to Corning (the company), glass from this manufacturer can withstand three times the stress than soda-lime.
Such properties are achieved due to processing (or ion exchange), during which sodium ions in the material are changed to potassium.
High strength glass has only one drawback: it can be scratched by sand or small objects - pens, pencils or pebbles.
Corning was engaged in surface treatment of glass with compounds of chemical elements in 1959.
This project came out under the name "Project Muscle". At that time, the production was not intended for smartphones at all, since they had not yet been invented.
The invention was supposed to be used for automobiles.
Over the years, experiments have borne fruit - the company has developed an ultra-strong glass called "Chemcor". The enterprise has brought its videos to various TV channels and showcases the strength.
After that, the business of the company began to move slowly, because the time for the implementation of this invention had not yet come.
However, this glass was used for cars and even aircraft, but sales still had to be suspended.
Corning's finest hour came in the 21st century, because it was then that telephones began to be invented.
The displays began to be made more sensitive (this is how the sensor appeared), but the screens became very vulnerable - they were scratched and broken.
Since 2005, Corning has resumed the development of glass for phones. Work was done not only to fit the screen size of the device, but also in thickness.
A very thin yet impact-resistant material has been developed. It was named Gorilla Glass.
From that moment on, many large telephone companies began to take an interest in the invention.
Gorilla Glass 2-3 presentation
A year after a glass company became interested in screen protectors, a large company Apple tested the first iPhone.
It turned out that keys or another sharp object in the same pocket with the device can easily scratch it.
Steve Jobs learned about the glass company and reached out to CEO Wendell Wicks to insist on restarting production. Weeks agreed, and the iPhone used aluminosilicate glass.
At the very beginning of 2012, a glass manufacturing company presented an improved version of glasses - Gorilla Glass 2. The result was immediately shown to the public, showing it at an exhibition in the city of Las Vegas.
The second version was made thinner by as much as 20%, but the strength of the glasses increased. The company's engineers managed to achieve this with the help of new technology saturating the glass with potassium ions (the layer of impact-resistant material has increased).
By this time, impact-resistant glass had gained immense popularity, and a total of 200 million devices were used.
The same characteristics were left - strength and impact resistance, but the thickness changed by as much as 20%.
The technology of substitution of potassium ions, their penetration into the material, has been improved, due to which the ion-saturated (protective) layer has become thicker.
Exactly one year later, the CES-2013 exhibition took place, at which the company presented the updated Gorilla Glass 3 protective glass.
The manufacturer called the production technology "innate resistance to damage." The company claimed that this time the material is even stronger, and as much as three times.
The company also tested Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and found that it can withstand more powerful loads than sapphire glass.
Compared to the second version, the manufacturers have tripled the strength. The material has become more reliable (almost twice) in terms of scratches, and also twice as strong against impacts.
Gorilla Glass 4-5 presentation
Almost two years have passed, and the company presented another update. The new Gorilla Glass 4 was released on November 20.
The manufacturer said about him that among aluminosilicate ones, it is twice as strong as analogues, and when dropped in 8 out of 10 cases, it is not damaged.
If earlier only stability increased, then in new version they managed to keep it at a small thickness. It is now even thinner: it is only 0.4 mm wide.
At the same time, it is argued that you can only break Corning Gorilla Glass 4 if you hammer nails into the screens. The manufacturer also stated that the current version is stronger than competitors' counterparts.
Samsung Galaxy smartphone evolved with Corning
A year and a half passed, and the company again released an update, supplementing it. Gorilla Glass 5 clearly outperforms its predecessors, as it not only does not break, but even does not crack when dropped in 8 cases out of 10.
During testing, the devices were dropped from an average height of a person's hand above the ground (160 cm) onto a rough floor.
Also, the phone was thrown onto the asphalt from a meter in height. If a person is too tall or if they fall, for example, from a ladder, the screen may crack, but not break.
In this case, the device will continue to work as if nothing had happened.
The glass manufacturing company is engaged in new developments, and not only for smartphones - they produce glass for car windshields and coatings for TVs.
Mobile Devices Partnering with Corning
If earlier Gorilla Glass was used exclusively for the iPhone, now almost all well-known brands produce devices with an impact-resistant screen.
Now different versions of protection are enjoyed by brands:
- Lenovo;
- Samsung;
- Apple;
- Samsung;
- Nokia.
In the last century, many manufacturers collaborated with the company electronic technology that continues to this day.
Companies use glass not only for phones, but also for laptops with sensitive screens. In addition, less popular brands began to use protection, for example:
- Motorola;
- Huawei.
Now protection is used by almost 50% of the globe (according to estimates for 2016). Even Chinese mobile device companies use protective glasses of cheaper counterparts.
Using protection for other devices
After the development of the second updated version the company showed the world Gorilla Glass NBT, invented for a laptop with a touch screen.
Also, the material is used for household appliances, during construction, for the windshield of cars.
It was Ford who first applied protection for the mass production of its GT car, since Corning Gorilla Glass perfectly withstands stress and is not scratched by sharp objects, it is made half or even four times thinner (instead of 6 mm - 3 or 4).
Reducing the layer thickness is not done to improve appearance car, but to reduce the total weight of the material (it becomes lighter by a third, that is, 5 and a half kg).
Ford could not ignore this fact, and said it was very convenient, as it helps to make the car dynamic, while reducing production costs from the price itself.
Screens are made multi-layered. The first layer is tempered glass covered with a sound-absorbing thermoplastic layer.
Protection for the Ford GT was tested in wind tunnels, crash tests, and road conditions with many stones flying from under the wheels.
While carbon fiber, aluminum, and Kevlar are of limited use in portable technology, things are a little different with display protective coatings. Among screens with increased resistance to abrasion, scratches and other mechanical damage, an effective leader has long been outlined. Everyone knows him. We are talking about Gorilla Glass, the features of which we will talk about today.
An excursion into history
Although this material has been known in the modern world for only five years, an innovative technical solution has a little-known predecessor, which was invented back in the 60s of the XX century. According to the specialists of the Corning company, some of the very first experiments aimed at improving the strength parameters of glass were started 50 years ago.
The result of this research was the material that acquired the name Chemcor. Unfortunately, the product was ahead of its time and did not find any practical application in that era. It remained unappreciated, therefore, to date, it has practically not survived concrete examples its use in widespread use. Few racing cars in the United States of America have received some glazing due to the Chemcor's lighter weight than traditional products.
However, Corning engineers have repeatedly emphasized that Gorilla Glass is fundamentally different from its predecessor. Do not assume that the modern display cover for smartphones and tablets was invented more than half a century ago. Chemcor could now be used as a protective shield for mobile phones and other compact gadgets, but its cost is much higher due to different methods production and technology.
Demand
Only in 2006, when work began on the first generation iPhone, Apple was faced with the need to improve the mechanical resistance of polymer screens, which were then used everywhere.
There is a legend that they became interested in this issue only after the prototype of the smartphone was in the pocket with the keys of one of the top managers during a morning jog. The steel left several visible scratches that marred Apple's triumph. As a result, the challenge was accepted and an agreement was made with Corning, which had experience in developing a suitable polymer coating.
Despite the fact that the presentation of the smartphone from Apple was scheduled for early 2007 (its release was supposed to take place only a little later), the task was completed in full. Corning was able to improve its product and supply the required amount of Gorilla Glass polymer films to Steve Jobs Corporation.
It is worth noting that although metal objects are not able to leave marks on the protective coating, it is still powerless in front of individual particles of sand. Penetrating into the pockets of users and leading to the appearance of various defects on the ideal surface of phone screens, these silicate particles still remain a problem for many high-tech devices.
Confession
In the first few years after its inception, Gorilla filled a highly sought after niche with such outstanding features. But technological research on the further development of the material did not stand still. The next five years were spent on extensive improvement, the goal of which was to obtain a product with a minimum thickness, but at least with the same strength.
The results were not long in coming, and at the beginning of 2012 appeared worthy alternative- Gorilla Glass 2, the linear dimensions of which have been reduced by 20%. Although the rest of the characteristics of the protective coating have not undergone significant changes, this material has allowed manufacturers to set up production of more compact and efficient gadgets. There was a choice: to keep the weight and thickness of the hardware at the same level, or to make their protective screens stronger and smaller in size.
Second "Gorilla"
Due to the introduction of the second generation Corning Gorilla Glass, the optical properties of displays and their functionality have improved. The decrease in the thickness of the material led to the fact that the viewing angles and brightness increased, the sensor matrices became much more sensitive to touches, and one could forget about the significant difficulties of "winter control". This, to a certain extent, ensured the popularity of touchscreen gadgets and brought their sales volumes to an unattainable level.
Collaboration with giants
During the same 2012, Corning was noted in collaboration with Samsung, which was interested in the further development of polymer coatings with improved properties. According to the terms of reference, it was necessary to create an alternative that could simultaneously replace existing solutions and supplement them. It's not just about the variety of smartphones with Gorilla Glass.
Samsung was interested in improving resistance to thermal stress, which increased responsiveness and resulted in less deformation during mechanical pressing. This increased the life of the touchscreen and improved its usability.
The collaboration between the two companies resulted in the creation of Lotus Glass. This material fully satisfied all the required parameters. However, a certain functional distribution has arisen: the Gorilla Glass screen is only a coating, while Lotus is a substrate for displays, which does not provide protection from scratches. Thus, these materials began to be used only together, which largely increases the strength of the screen, its resistance to impacts, cracks and other mechanical influences.
The next round of evolution for Corning products took place at CES-2013. Then the Gorilla Glass 3 coating was introduced, which was 50% stronger when exposed to shocks and at least 40% more scratch resistant. As part of the exhibition in Las Vegas, these figures were confirmed in front of the public. The outstanding results, which can be called almost flawless, have led to the use of a new protective coating on the iPhone5S and flagships from Samsung.
Spreading
In the bottom line, Gorilla Glass has found application in products of more than thirty of the largest electronics manufacturers, and the protective coating itself has been installed on no less than 300 million devices in all parts of the world.
That's all Short story the triumph of this protective material, but its peculiarities must not be overlooked.
Purpose
The main purpose of this coverage is to minimize the consequences that can develop under significant dynamic or static influences. At the same time, this protective screen is required to maintain compact dimensions, thickness and low weight of devices at a low cost, distortion of picture quality and touchscreen sensitivity.
Production
The secret of Gorilla Glass 3's strength lies in the high-tech chemical processing of the glass, during which ion exchange takes place. For this, the material is placed in a solution of potassium salts, which is heated to a temperature of at least 400 degrees Celsius. This is followed by the process of replacing sodium ions present in the glass with charged potassium particles - they are large in size.
According to the results of cooling and extraction of the raw material from the solution, the linear dimensions of the glass decrease, the substituted potassium compresses the surface of the material, which makes it possible to obtain a more durable and homogeneous layer of the substance.
The Gorilla Glass 3 manufacturing process has been optimized to allow multiple particles to penetrate through its thickness and evenly harden the protective coating.
Geography
To date, the geographical location of Corning manufacturing plants has not changed much. Production has only expanded, and besides the United States of America, protective coatings are produced in Taiwan and Japan.
Thickness
If we talk about changes in the linear dimensions of the material, then it is worth mentioning the ubiquity of Gorilla Glass. It is no longer possible to imagine a smartphone without this tempered glass, although the permissible thickness of the coating is only 0.5 to 2 millimeters (this is 10-50 times more than the diameter of a human hair).
It is unnecessary to use a material of 2 mm for mobile phones, since the total thickness of modern gadgets rarely exceeds 1 cm, and such an increase in dimensions can lead to a decrease in performance characteristics and performance. Therefore, for smartphones and other ultra-compact electronics, a protective coating up to 0.8 mm is used, which does not lead to a deterioration in performance or strength. If tempered glass is intended for TVs or laptops, then a material with a thickness of 2 mm is used. It provides the optimum combination of reliability and wear resistance.
Strength
The measurement of this parameter for Corning Gorilla Glass 3 was carried out by the Vickers method, which is a process of indenting a prism with a diamond coating and an angle of 136 degrees, the counting of which starts from the opposite edges of the figure.
To determine the hardness in this case, the standard physical pressure values adopted in the international SI system are used. The usual measure in this case is Pascals (Pa), the meaning of which is the ratio of the applied load to the interaction area. According to Vickers, a simplified method of recording hardness is adopted; it is displayed in HV symbols. This method is most often used for thin sheet materials, which include protective coatings. For example: 120HV50 means that under the influence of a force of fifty kilograms, the hardness was 120 units. In generally accepted cases, the duration of the applied impact is about ten to fifteen seconds. However, if necessary, the duration of the load test is added at the end of the recording through a slash of 30. The full display will look like this: 120HV50 / 30.
Dry facts
According to the test results, the hardness of Gorilla Glass (the first generation phones were equipped with it) was about 700 units with a force of two hundred grams. For example: iron is characterized by an indicator of only 30 units. - 80HV5. As can be seen from the example of these values, the hardness of the investigated protective layer exceeds this indicator for ordinary soda (soda-lime) glass at least three times. In more detail, the most common type of this material is found in exterior glazing or bottles.
Public trials
Corning has conducted numerous demonstrations that have proven this figure in practice. At the exhibitions, anyone could be convinced of the reliability of the declared values, when, when using a miniature press, ordinary glass with a thickness of 1 mm and Gorilla Glasss were pierced. In the first case, destruction occurred with a load of twenty-three kilograms, while in the second, with at least fifty-five kilograms. This gives a strength factor of 2.4. However, for the third "Gorilla" these values are 50% higher, and the comparable safety margin will exceed 3.6 times.
This explains why the entire constellation of leading electronics manufacturers is following the development of this material aspirated and doing everything possible to promptly update the glossy faces of their smartphones and other gadgets. Since the end of 2013, almost all the flagships of the electronics industry have acquired a heavy-duty novelty from Corning.
This event did not pass by the eyes of ordinary users, who, as always, pay attention to the practical side of the issue. They immediately began to follow where the innovative development was applied, because numerous studies and research made it possible to foresee all the nuances of operation.
This has been tested not only for resistance to mechanical stress, but also for the effects of many chemical and biological substances, as well as food and cosmetics. Now perfume, lipstick, shaving products, water or alcohol will not be able to damage its structure. In addition, Gorilla Glass is easy to clean - just wipe it with a dry cloth and your fingerprints are gone. There is no need to spend money on special detergents. This advantage will be fully appreciated by the owners of smartphones or tablets with other types of protective coating, they, like no one else, know about the difficulties arising during cleaning.
As a result, the most vulnerable part of the phone - the display - became its advantage. Due to its many strengths, Gorilla outperforms its competitors in all respects and leaves them no chance.
Almost all leading smartphone manufacturers equip their devices with Gorilla Glass.
What are the advantages of this safety glass? What is it like, where did it come from and is it as reliable as the manufacturers claim in their advertising?
History of Corning Gorilla Glass
The glass is produced by the American company Corning Incorporated. It was founded back in 1851 and is engaged not only in the development of protective glass. The company can be found in a variety of market segments such as optical communications, natural sciences, environmental technology, and even optical physics. But it is thanks to the glasses for smartphones that Corning has become truly famous.
Gorilla Glass is created according to a special "recipe" - they have a special chemical composition, as well as a special chemical and physical treatment. For the first time, the idea of such glass appeared at the beginning of the last century - then the manufacturer created a glass called Chemcor. It was used in aviation and motor transport, however, it was not widely used.
It became popular thanks to Steve Jobs when Apple took over the development in 2006 the first iPhone... The prototype of the device underwent various tests, for example, it was carried in a pocket with change and keys. The touchscreen quickly scratched and became unusable. Then Jobs had an idea - to resume the Corning project and produce high-quality protective glass.
The glass strength on the Moss scale was 6 points. The company achieved this result thanks to hardening by ion exchange. The first generation Gorilla Glass was about 1mm thick and was three times stronger than regular tempered glass.
Over time, smartphones began to become thinner, and the thickness of the glass had to decrease accordingly, so in 2012 the company introduced Gorilla Glass 2.
The new generation of safety glass was presented at the International Household Appliance Show in Las Vegas. Specialists have reduced the thickness of the glass by 20% and increased its impact resistance by four times.
Already in 2013, a new development was presented - Gorilla Glass 3. According to the company, this novelty is more reliable than sapphire glass. Thanks to the improved method of creation, the novelty has become three times stronger than Gorilla Glass 2. The resistance to scratches and impacts has also increased - 40% and 50%, respectively.
In 2014, a new generation of glass was introduced to the world. It received the same characteristics as Gorilla Glass 3, but became much thinner - only 0.4 mm. Thanks to this, new devices can be made much thinner, while they will be protected in the same way as the previous ones.
In 2016, the company introduced. The new glass has improved characteristics and remains intact in more than 80% of cases of falling screen down from a height of 1.6 meters.
In 2018, the sixth generation of safety glass was announced. All details are in.
Protective glass manufacturing technology
As already mentioned, glass lends itself to a special chemical treatment - it is placed in a solution with molten potassium salts and a temperature of about 400-500 degrees Celsius. During this procedure, the sodium ions present in the glass are replaced by larger potassium ions.
Further, the glass is cooled, and it becomes strong due to the increased potassium ions, which press on each other more strongly compared to sodium ions. Gorilla Glass factories are currently located in three countries: USA, Japan and Taiwan.
Is Gorilla Glass just for smartphones?
The strength of the glass has earned special attention not only to smartphone manufacturers. Its application is wide enough, and we will tell you about the most interesting applications of this technology.
In 2003, one of Ford's non-production vehicles was equipped with a Corning windshield. Its thickness was 3-4 mm, while the thickness of ordinary glass for a car is 4-6 mm. Thanks to the use of such glass, the manufacturer was able to reduce the weight of the car itself by 5.5 kg.
In addition, Gorilla Glass NBT was announced in 2003. This rugged novelty is designed for touchscreen laptops.
Gorilla Glass analogs
According to statistics, in the middle of 2016, Gorilla Glass was installed on more than 4.5 billion devices worldwide. Of course, this popularity has caused competition as well. Sapphire glass has become one of the analogues - it is really extremely difficult to scratch it (in fact, this can be done only with the help of a diamond), but it is more fragile, and its cost is too high.
Dragontrail from Japanese manufacturer Asahi is one of the direct competitors for Gorilla Glass, but its manufacturers use it mainly in budget devices. Dragontrail equipped with some Meizu smartphones, Lenovo and Xiaomi.
The Xensation Cover is also a formidable contender to Corning, not only in quality but also in price. This glass is produced by the German company Schott. Meizu has used Xensation Cover glass in their M3 series smartphones.
And finally - Gorilla Glass has its drawbacks, for example, the glass is scratched quite quickly and easily, so it needs protection from time to time. Learn more about the pros and cons of protective glass
