The Future is Now, Glass in a Spray Can
While it may seem like something straight out of science fiction, a company has developed glass in a spray can. The spray solution is based on silica, which is also present in real glass as well. When the solution is mixed with either water or ethanol, it can be sprayed on a number of surfaces and objects to protect them from nearly anything. At just 100 nanometers thick, the layer of glass is 500 times thinner than a human hair when applied, making it amazingly thin considering its laundry list of potential uses.
The miraculously scant layer of glass can repel dirt, water, and bacteria and can resist acid, heat, and UV light while still remaining breathable. It is also extremely environmentally friendly because it allows a surface to be cleaned without the use of bleach or other harmful chemicals. When tested in Germany, it was found that surfaces treated with the glass could be easily cleaned with nothing more than hot water and were more sterile than untreated surfaces that were scoured with bleach. What’s more impressive is that the surfaces treated with the glass would stay that way for months, proving that the spray is as resilient as it is thin. The company claims that a bathtub may only need to be treated with the spray once per year to maintain its amazing cleaning properties.
But what about softer items like cloths? Well, since the layer is so thin and remains breathable, clothing would be able to be sprayed down as well. You could dump a whole bottle of wine on your shirt and it would just slide right off. Speaking of wine, the company also claims that corks sprayed with the solution might prevent wines from becoming corked, a condition that occurs when contaminants in the cork spoil the flavor of the wine.
Even plants can be treated with this spray to give them increased resistance to fungi and molds and plant seeds could be treated to ensure quicker and more reliable germination, something that might mean the world to developing countries attempting to grow more of their own food.
The list could go on and on, really. The spray seems to be the most innovative protective implement developed in decades and will definitely have far reaching uses that haven’t even been thought of yet. Currently, the product is available in Germany and will be sold in the United Kingdom very soon. Hopefully, this will be offered in the states in the near future as well. I know I’m looking forward to it. I’ve grown tired of washing my car so often and my shirts deserve to be impenetrable.
To read the original article, please go to http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1247712/Revealed-The-spray-liquid-glass-protect-dirt-bacteria.html