There is something that has the entire scientific community on edge because there is absolutely nothing like it on Earth. It is an extraterrestrial mineral, or at least that is what they believe in the article published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), and it all comes from a meteorite that fell in what is now Germany in 1724!!!
It is called silica tridymite, a very rare form of silicon dioxide that has nothing similar on our planet, and the most curious thing about this element is that it has the ability to maintain a constant thermal conductivity!! And now they believe new ways of working with this material could open up in industries where high temperatures are needed (such as steel production).
What is silica tridymite?
This mineral cannot be classified as crystal or as glass, it is something that intrigues the entire community, what is it?! Something that came from space, we suppose. But now it could help reduce carbon emissions on Earth, and seeing how fast the greenhouse effect is advancing, maybe it is our last bullet, don’t you think?
A mineral that does not exist on Earth
Tridymite was found in a meteorite and, surprisingly, it has also been detected on Mars (everything takes us to Mars, why is that!!). What most puzzles experts is that it breaks the normal rules of heat conduction. While crystals tend to lose thermal conductivity when heated and glasses tend to increase it, this material maintains a constant level, and that is what makes it the perfect candidate for other applications, and the metallurgical industry is already thinking about how to include it!
Crystal, glass or something new?
According to the researchers, it has a point of order like that of crystals, but also a touch of disorder like that of glasses. That is, it does not fit entirely into any category, and that is exactly what gives it such peculiar properties.
And what is this for?
Think about it, only in the United States, this sector emits about 7% of all the CO₂ in the country, and an important part of that impact comes from the extreme heat they need to handle. If materials like tridymite could be used in that context, energy expenditure and emissions could be greatly reduced.
The future must be sustainable
If this material can be replicated or adapted, the possibility of reducing the environmental impact of one of the most polluting industries on the planet would open up. This makes it not only a scientific finding, but also a strategic one for the fight against climate change.
The study is called Temperature-invariant crystal–glass heat conduction: From meteorites to refractories and it is nothing more than the beginning!! From here, researchers believe new heat-resistant materials could be developed inspired by this mineral that came from space.
The most interesting thing is that, unintentionally, a piece of rock that fell from the sky centuries ago could help us build a more sustainable future on Earth. And although there is still much to investigate, this shows that looking at the universe not only serves to understand what is out there, but also to improve what we have here inside. Mars, get ready because soon we are coming for more!