Is There A Mineral In Cell Phones Thats Soat After

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Tucked away inside watches, TVs, laptops, and cell phones, quartz (also known as silica sand) is the magic mineral that powers our fast-paced virtual world. But likewise hidden in plain sight—in your kitchen, of all places—is an equally impressive engineering feat made possible by the tiny grains. Decades of innovations in blueprint and manufacturing processes take led to the creation of the most durable, sustainable, and maintenance-free surfaces in your home. Yeah, nosotros're talking about your countertops.

Although quartz is one of Earth'due south virtually abundant minerals, it wasn't until about 50 years ago that manufacturers developed the mixture and technology that allowed for its ubiquitous use. In the 1970s, an Italian company patented the process of creating quartz countertops past pressing polymer resins into natural, raw quartz crystals. The strength of the mineral—which scores a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, simply a few levels below diamond at 10—made information technology a natural contender every bit a surface material and a superior alternative to then-popular laminate countertops.. But the original formulas resulted in limited colors and simple designs. Plus, there was little know-how when it came to producing a consistent material or expect.

Luckily, a new wave of innovators were up to the claiming. During the 1980s, emerging quartz manufacturing companies like Caesarstone, now considered a pioneer in the manufacture, began experimenting with new levels of pressure, vacuums, ovens, and binding agents. In Caesarstone's case, that meant harnessing the collective brainpower of the Israeli engineers and designers who were members of the kibbutz where its factory was based to solve the consistency conundrum.

"If we could produce x, could we produce 100? And if nosotros could produce 100, could nosotros produce 1,000?" says Elizabeth Margles, Caesarstone's vice president of marketing for Northward America. "This is what nosotros worried virtually early."

Eventually, they standardized quartz product processes, applying 100 tons of pressure to remove any excess air or water pockets (increasing uniformity) and subjecting slabs to 194°F heat to melt the resin and spread it evenly across the surface (making them completely non-porous).

At that point, it became a creative free-for-all. Manufacturers began playing effectually with additives and techniques that could infuse more color, movement, and depth into the slabs. Pink and white quartz emerged every bit alternatives to common translucent options, and additives like recycled glass fabricated their way into the mixtures. Collections ranged from the avant-garde (vibrant fuchsias and deep reds) to near-perfect replicas of natural stone—merely longer-lasting and more resistant to stains and chips:

"With almost marble, you never know what you're going to get, and, as beautiful as information technology can be, the material is very porous and unforgiving," Margles says. "But by creating a marble-like quartz surface, customers were able to command non but what it looked like, simply they could trust that the countertops were stronger and more reliable than the alternative."

Similarly, when the industrial kitchen trend made concrete a sought-later surface, quartz manufacturers were able to develop the industrial, matte appearance and rough finish customers craved while providing a far more than environmentally friendly choice. (Concrete, it turns out, requires massive amounts of water and emits greenhouse gases during production.)

Simply the bulldoze to innovate goes beyond outdoing competitors and upgrading nature. Quartz manufacturers continue to re-imagine our living spaces, moving past patterns and textures into unlike applications. What kind of sanctuary spaces are we looking to create in our bathrooms? How can we engineer quartz surfaces to withstand exposure to the natural elements—from the hot, arid deserts of Republic of chile to the rain-battered Pacific Northwest—for apply in outdoor areas? These are the questions that lead to endless hours of rigorous testing—and ultimately, commercial success.

Simply at that place'southward always more work to exist done. Quartz-fueled companies thrive on pushing the boundaries of potential use cases and evolving surfaces to see our needs in ways we never idea possible. Caesarstone, for instance, has been toying with the idea of using quartz to build and support self-sustaining kitchens of the hereafter, consummate with aquaponics, indoor farming, composting, food storage, and more.

In that location'southward really no slowing down at present.

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Is There A Mineral In Cell Phones Thats Soat After,

Source: https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2019/10/innovating-quartz-secret-mineral-superpowers-surfaces/

Posted by: jamesabling1956.blogspot.com

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