Innovation in Surface Treatment & Tempering

Beyond durability, the competitive edge is now shifting to optical performance. Corning received CES 2026 Innovation Honors for two new surface treatments: Gorilla Matte Pro, which combines anti-reflective and anti-glare properties for laptops, and Surface IQ, an anti-reflective coating for automotive displays designed to improve readability in bright sunlight.

Meanwhile, fundamental glass strengthening is seeing academic breakthroughs that could disrupt the market. Researchers at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, led by Prof. Lothar Wondraczek, have refined a thermal tempering process using liquid coolants rather than air. This breakthrough allows for the thermal strengthening of glass below the traditional 2mm thickness barrier-a capability that could offer a lower-cost, environmentally friendlier alternative to chemical strengthening for next-gen thin glass applications.