Microsoft revealed the new Microsoft Surface tablet Monday, featuring Corning’s Gorilla Glass.
The 10.6 inch (26.9 cm) tablet weighs less than 2 pounds (0.9 kg) thanks in part to the ultrathin but tough Gorilla Glass screen.
Gorilla Glass is Corning’s trademark for their chemically strengthened glass, where large ions are stuffed into the glass surface, creating a state of compression.
The glass is placed in a hot bath of molten salt at a temperature of approximately 400°C. Smaller sodium ions leave the glass, and larger potassium ions from the salt bath replace them. These larger ions take up more room and are pressed together when the glass cools, producing a layer of compressive stress on the surface of the glass. Gorilla Glass’s special composition enables the potassium ions to diffuse far into the surface, creating high compressive stress deep into the glass. This layer of compression creates a surface that is more resistant to damage from everyday use.
The video below demonstrates the mechanical properties of Gorilla Glass, measured using a ball drop test, an abraded ring on ring test, Vickers indentation test, a flexibility test, a scratch test and the ball launch test.
Pricing and availability of the Microsoft Surface tablet has not yet been announced.
