Machinedesign 6589 Ceramic Windows 0
Machinedesign 6589 Ceramic Windows 0
Machinedesign 6589 Ceramic Windows 0
Machinedesign 6589 Ceramic Windows 0
Machinedesign 6589 Ceramic Windows 0

Navy Develops Tougher, See-Through Ceramic Armor

Sept. 9, 2014
Besides being transparent, the new armored windows would have a lower radar signature than currently used materials.

Engineers at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have used nanotechnology to increase the toughness of the transparent spinel armor it currently uses on optics, sensors, and windows on ships and other vehicles. The new nanocrystalline spinel is made of the same materials, magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4), but the grain size has been reduced to 28 nm.

Nanocrystalline spinel windows could be used on the Navy’s new Zumwalt Class of destroyers, like the USS Zumwalt pictured above. 

The NRL team created the windows by sintering nanopowders under high pressures. Pressure breaks down the powders into smaller particles, slows them from diffusing out of the mixture, and pushes them closer together to reduce porosity in the final material. The new armor is tougher than the spinel currently used, so it can be made thinner, resulting in a cost and weight savings.

Researchers are now working to make even tougher versions of the new armor, hoping to replace the sapphire windows used in military vehicles. Sapphire windows are much more expensive to produce.

The NRL-developed armor is also highly transparent, so it could also be used in UV, visible, and IR optics, which should simplify design requirements. There are potential civilian uses for the see-through material in smartphones and tablets screens, windows for homes and offices, and space vehicles, including extraterrestrial rovers.

Sponsored Recommendations

Altech's Liquid Tight Strain Relifs Catalog

March 13, 2024
With experienced Product Engineers and Customer Service personnel, Altech provides solutions to your most pressing application challenges. All with one thought in mind - to ensure...

Industrial Straight-Through Cable Gland

March 13, 2024
Learn more about Altech's cable glands and all they have to offer for your needs!

Smooth Sorting with SEW-EURODRIVE!

Feb. 22, 2024
Sorting systems are essential when it comes to warehouse automation, material handling, and distribution. SEW-EURODRIVE’s automated sorting solutions increase capacity, reliability...

Setting the Agricultural Industry in Motion

Feb. 22, 2024
Agricultural products go through specialized processes of harvesting, storing, conveying, cleaning, drying, sorting, and handling to ensure that seasonal products reach the processing...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!