Developed by researchers at the Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science in Japan, this fresh form of glass is nearly as strong as steel, with potential applications ranging from electronics to vehicles and architecture. On scales measuring strength, this new material ranked on par with metals normally used for industrial applications.

The scientists published their findings in Nature and aim to commercialize their work in the next five years, bringing it to tablets, computers, smartphones, cars and buildings. It is still thin, like and see-through like typical glass, just far more robust. Alumina is the critical ingredient – mixed with silicon dioxide, this strengthening agent had to be added in a new way to keep it from crystallizing before the glass could form (which normally happens upon contact with the container of the glass).

“So the Tokyo team brewed up a method of making glass that required no container at all: they used gas to push the chemical components into the air, where they synthesized together. The result? A transparent ultra glass that’s 50% alumina and rivals the Young’s modulus of steel and iron, which measures rigidity and elasticity in solids.” Unlike traditional ultra-strong glass, this has a very promising strength-to-weight ratio and even thin layers are potentially incredibly resilient to damage or destruction.

The post Strong as Steel: Scientists Unveil New ‘Unbreakable’ Glass first appeared on Gajitz.

A win for drivers and DIY mechanics alike, this stainless steel oil filter lets you drive twice as far without an oil change, improves your vehicle’s fuel efficiency by a few percent and, best of all, will not need to be swapped out ever again.

The Hubb Lifetime Oil Filter from Whipsaw eliminates a key piece of toxic waste: used oil filters, of which hundreds of millions are thrown out in the United States alone each year.

Oil filters were not an original feature of cars, but came along to help reduce bad buildups in engines early in modern automotive history – but these have changed too little since being introduced, including inefficient bypass filters and messy paper pulp.

This new version is made of stainless steel wire mesh, helping reduce impurities and clogs as well as the engine power required to push oil through the filter in the first place. It also looks rather awesome, but its designers concede that is simply a byproduct of being built to function well. At under $100, it is considerably more expensive than a standard filter, but, then again, it will last forever, so consider it an investment in your car’s future.

“HUBB is an oil filter for use on any car or truck. This all stainless steel filter captures five times more contaminants and drastically reduces oil flow back pressure, which increases fuel efficiency and reduces carbon emissions. Conventional oil filters use paper pulp filters that clog quickly, becoming useless and putting a drag on the engine. he filters are a unique micro-woven 316L surgical stainless steel mesh. The mesh porosity is sized perfectly to capture debris in the oil but allow for easy flow, unlike paper pulp which has uncontrolled porosity.”

The post Endless Oil Filter: Double Capacity, Never Needs Replacing first appeared on Gajitz.

Velcro is one of those inventions that most of us take for granted. Although it’s useful and really quite interesting when you understand how it works, it’s probably not the most exciting thing you’ll contemplate today. A team of German engineers has made huge strides in making Velcro (or at least something resembling Velcro) more interesting. Their metal fastener, called Metaklett, is basically super-strong metal hook-and-loop fastener.

Metaklett can withstand temperatures in excess of 800 degrees Celsius, and is not bothered by most chemical solutions. Its adhesive strength tops 35 tons per square meter when force is applied parallel to the surface of the fastener. The adhesive strength is 7 tons per square meter when the pressure is perpendicular to the surface of the fastener. But even more impressive is the fact that, like traditional plastic Velcro, it can be used over and over again.

Two models of Metaklett have been developed: duck’s head and Flamingo. The difference between the two is the shape of the “hook” element. Traditional plastic Velcro is used in countless applications, from clothing and toys to securing equipment in aircraft. The downfall of the material has always been that it is simply too weak for some uses. Metaklett is the first fastener to combine the ease of use and reusability of Velcro with the extreme strength and durability of steel.

The post “Steel Velcro” Super-Strong Fastener Holds 35-Ton Loads first appeared on Gajitz.