- Transparent aluminum
Transparent aluminum (or aluminium) is a
fictional substance from the "Star Trek "science fiction franchise. It was first mentioned in the 1986 feature film "", in which it was described as a material that could be used to construct a waterproof enclosure for transportingwhales aboard astarship .Attempts to make a similar material include the chemical bonding of
aluminum with appropriate elements in transparent alumina and inruby ,corundum ,sapphire , and related aluminum compounds.cite web | author= | title=Alumina (Aluminium Oxide): The Different Types of Commercially Available Grades | url=http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=1389 | publisher=AZoM.com | date= | accessdate=2008-01-29] Traditional photonic bandgaps, based on introducing spatial holes in aluminum, are likewise possible, but these would require the introduction of numerous physical holes with roughly the diameter of the wavelengths of light for which transparency were desired; but such would presumably weaken aluminum structures.ALON
"ALON" is the brand name of a transparent ceramic compound with a high compressive strength and durability, used primarily in military applications.
Transparent alumina
"
Aluminum oxide ", a chemical compound of aluminum and oxygen (Al2O3) is made transparent through a process of fusing fine particles. [cite news | author=Belle Dumé | title=Glass breakthrough | url=http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/20033 | work=PhysicWorld | date=11 August 2004 | accessdate=2008-01-29] Nanophase alumina is used as a durable coating. [cite web | author= | title=Transparent Abrasion Resistant Products: NanoDur X1102HDA | url=http://www.nanophase.com/catalog/item.asp?ITEM_ID=84&DEPARTMENT_ID=48 | publisher=Nanophase Technologies Corporation | date= | accessdate=2008-01-29]Amorphous aluminum alloys
Aluminum alloys can be made into glasses (i.e., amorphous solids, not necessarily transparent) by cooling or deformation. [cite journal | last=Perepezko | first=John H. | coauthors=Hebert, Rainer J. | title=Amorphous Aluminum Alloys—Synthesis and Stability | journal=JOM | volume=54 | issue=3 | pages=p. 34 | id= | month=March | year=2002 | url=http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/0203/Perepezko-0203.html | accessdate=2008-01-29 | doi=10.1007/BF02822618]
In fiction
"Star Trek"
In the popular film "", panels of
acrylic glass were acquired for construction of water tanks with a thickness suitable for containing twohumpback whale s and tonnes of water. However, the "Enterprise" crew, without money appropriate to the period, found it necessary to barter with Plexicorp (a fictional manufacturer) for the materials required for the task. In exchange for the acrylic glass, Chief Engineer Scott shares thechemical formula for transparent aluminum."Star Trek" technical Manuals indicates transparent aluminum is used in various fittings in starships, including exterior ship portals and windows.Fact|date=July 2008 In the "" episode “
In Theory ,” a subspace anomaly alters the transparent aluminum windows creating a hull breach in the observation lounge."Battlestar Galactica"
An earlier reference to this fictional material was made on an episode of Battlestar Galactica (original 1978 series), the episode was "The Hand of God", aired April 29th, 1979. The reference was to the construction of the last of the ancient battlestar's astro-navigational domes, Apollo points out to Sheba that the dome was made from transparent aluminum.
ee also
*
Sapphire crystal References
External links
*Memoryalpha
*Jeffrey de Fourestier, [http://www.minrec.org/pdfs/Star%20Trek%20Article.pdf "The Mineralogy of "Star Trek"]
*Surmet Corporation's [http://www.surmet.com/alon.html ALON website ]
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