Transparent aluminum
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Transparent aluminum is a material described in the Star Trek universe which was introduced in the movie (1986). This material was long considered just a work of science fiction; however, there are similar real substances.
Transparent aluminum
These are presently produced through the chemical bonding of aluminum with appropriate elements in transparent alumina and in ruby, corundum, sapphire, and related aluminum compounds. 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 transparence were desired; but such would presumably weaken aluminum structures.Transparent alumina
- Main article: transparent alumina
Nanophase aluminum
Real transparent aluminum can and has been made by using nanophase aluminum. This is aluminum composed of nanometre scale particles as a solid transparent material, whose color can be varied by sizing the particles differently. The particles themselves are smaller than the wavelengths of visible light. Nanophase materials are usually transparent and very hard, with color depending on the size of the particles.
Aluminum oxynitride (ALON)
- Main article: aluminum oxynitride
Star Trek appearance
The chemical formula for transparent aluminum plays a key role in the plot of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. In the movie, the formula is given in exchange for sheets thick enough to create water tanks suitable for transporting two humpback whales through time, from the 20th century to the 23rd century, inside a Klingon Bird of Prey. Since the crew was temporarily stranded in the past without money appropriate to the period, they had to give the owner of the Plexicorp company (a fictional manufacturer of Plexiglas) the formula. Scotty gives the chemical formula and receives transparent aluminum to build the tanks.
This results in the predestination paradox where transparent aluminum is never actually invented by anyone. It was introduced by the owner of Plexicorp, Dr. Nichols, in the 20th century after he got the formula from Scotty; Scotty then learned the formula from his knowledge of 23rd century engineering that built on Dr. Nichols's 20th century "invention." No one ever actually invented transparent aluminum from scratch.
Star Trek technical manuals allege transparent aluminum to be used in various fittings in starships, including exterior windows, where the sets include what appears to be glass. However, such fittings have been observed to shatter in the manner of toughened glass.
In the episode "In Theory", a subspace anomaly altered the transparent aluminum in the Observation lounge windows, creating a hull breach.
The schematic visible on Dr. Nichols's computer is actually a representation of GE's Lexan molecule.
See also
- ALON/AlON/aluminium oxynitride (ALON™)
- Transparent alumina
- Nanophase aluminium
- Aluminium
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