Sapphire high-strength glassAs a special artificial material, it is demonstrating value in multiple fields due to its physical properties. This transparent material is made by high-temperature melting and crystallization of high-purity alumina, with a Mohs hardness of 9, and excellent transparency, scratch resistance, and chemical stability. From precision instruments to everyday consumer goods, the application scope of sapphire glass is expanding.

In the field of watches, this material can effectively resist scratches during daily wear and maintain the transparency of the dial as new for a long time. Compared to ordinary mineral glass, the impact resistance of sapphire crystal mirrors is improved by 3-5 times, and they are not easily shattered even when dropped from a height of 1.5 meters.

The exploration of sapphire glass applications in the smartphone industry has never stopped. Although cost factors limit its widespread adoption, its application in key components is increasing day by day. The use of sapphire glass on the protective lens of the camera effectively solves the imaging quality problem caused by lens scratches. With the improvement of production technology, the application of sapphire glass in mobile devices is shifting from luxury positioning to practical protection.

The medical equipment field is exploring the special value of sapphire glass. The lens of the surgical microscope is made of sapphire material, which is biologically inert and does not react with disinfectants. After using sapphire glass for the front protective window of the endoscope, its service life is extended.

In industrial measuring instruments, the probe protection cover of a coordinate measuring machine is made of sapphire material, which improves measurement accuracy because its thermal expansion coefficient is only 1/8 of that of ordinary glass, reducing measurement errors caused by temperature fluctuations. After using sapphire high-strength glass for the focusing lens of the laser cutting machine, its service life is extended and its high temperature resistance can reach 1800 ℃. In the field of semiconductor manufacturing, the observation window of wafer inspection equipment needs to use sapphire glass, and the sodium ions released by ordinary glass can contaminate the clean room environment.

The application of sapphire glass in the field of optical instruments is considered a classic. After using sapphire coating on the reflector of professional DSLR cameras, the wear resistance has been increased from 50000 times to over 500000 times. The correction mirror plate of the astronomical telescope is made of sapphire material, which can effectively reduce aberrations due to its uniform refractive index. Infrared thermal imagers require sapphire as the front window material because its transmittance in the 3-5 μ m wavelength range exceeds 90%, which is a performance that ordinary glass cannot achieve.

The application expansion of sapphire high-strength glass is still continuing. With the advancement of preparation technology and the reduction of costs, this "transparent steel" is moving from the professional field to the mass consumer market. Doping sapphire glass with different elements to obtain richer functional properties such as conductivity and color change will further expand the boundaries of its application scenarios.