Sapphire, the hardest natural substance after diamond, might soon be used to make smartphone screens. Sapphire glass will soon be cheap enough for use in a wide range of consumer products, such as smartphones, tablets, and other rugged devices.
Sapphire is extraordinarily hard, scratch-resistant, and has a melting point of 2,030 degree Celsius. Sapphire is about 10 times more scratch resistant than normal window glass, and much stronger than any other materials used in optics applications. Sapphire is already used in bullet-proof glass, watches, and the front window on bar-code scanners.
Conclusion: At around three times the strength and scratch resistance of Corning’s Gorilla Glass, Sapphire glass would make an almost perfect smartphone screen.
It’s worth noting that the iPhone 5 already uses sapphire glass to protect the rear camera lens, so Apple is certainly aware of sapphire’s potential.
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