MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR ALUMINUM COATED GLASS FIBERS

ALUMINUM COATED GLASS FIBERS HAVE FOUND BROAD BASED USE AS RADAR CHAFF, HOWEVER, EXISTING METHODS OF MANUFACTURE ARE GENERALLY HIGH COST AND DO NOT OPTIMIZE ADHESION BETWEEN METAL AND GLASS WHICH MAY LEAD TO PERFORMANCE LOSS DURING HANDLING OR PROCESSING. BY UTILIZING A HIGH SPEED, LOW CAPITAL COST PROCESS SUCH AS CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (CVD) IN COMBINATION WITH NOVEL INTERLAYER TECHNOLOGY, A PROCESS CAN BE ENVISIONED THAT MINIMZES COST WHILE MAXIMIZING PROPERTIES.ADDITIONALLY, THE CVD PROCESS OFFERS THE ABILITY TO EVENLY COAT A WIDE RANGE OF FIBER TOWS AND DIAMETERS WITH MINIMAL MANUFACTURING LINE CHANGES, ENABLING A RAPID RESPONSE TO FIELD NEEDS FOR MODIFIED MATERIALS. RECENTLY SUCH A PROCESS HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED WITH NICKEL COATED GLASS FIBER, THEREFORE IN PHASE I OF THIS STUDY A DEVELOPMENT EFFORT WILL BE CARRIED OUT TO ADAPT THIS PROCESS TO ALUMINUM COATED FIBER. DURING THIS PHASE THE COATING MATERIALS WILL BE IDENTIFIED, A PROTOTYPE. POSITIVE PHASE I RESULTS, INCLUDING INITIAL COST ESTIMATES, WOULD LEAD TO A PHASE II PROGRAM IN WHICH A PILOT LINE WOULD BE BUILT AND COMMERCIAL QUANTITIES OF COATED FIBER PRODUCED.