Friday, September 26, 2008
2008 R&D 100 Winner
Inorganic fibers such as steel, carbon, or fiberglass are essential to the infrastructure and industrial productivity of modern society. Technological advances call for ever more advanced fibers that are stronger, perform better under harsh conditions, and are more ductile and flexible, Meeting these needs requires the production of fibers with the necessary internal and surface properties, but in many cases, the means to manufacture such fibers doesn’t even exist. All of that has changed with Laser-Weave, a process that uses lasers to grow inorganic fibers and simultaneously weave them into finished cables, fabrics, and composites that have improved strength and elasticity. Developed by James Maxwell at Los Alamos National Laboratory, N.M., Laser-Weave combines monofilament formation with braiding or weaving, resulting in a single operation. The process is completely flexible, allowing the fiber geometry, the braiding patterns, and the material compositions and microstructure to be carefully controlled and arbitrarily complex. Process parameters can be changed in real time to modify the composition and properties of the fibers as they are grown.
Technology
Process that uses lasers to grow inorganic fibers
Developer
Los Alamos National Laboratory
