clhs sciblog

Fraunhofer researchers from Paris have discovered a way of creating fiber-reinforced thermoplastics that doesn’t involve glass or carbon fiber matting, siphoning air, and huge ovens. Instead they have come up with a way of using lasers. They take kilometer long strips of  thermoplastic resin and melt them with the lasers. They are stacked on top of each other and then cool down rapidly, thanks to energy emitted from the lasers. This method also produces a stronger end result. To join the strips together, they use a infrared light. The light melts the edges of the material, and they can be stuck together. It is “fifty to seventy percent lighter than steel and fifteen to twenty percent lighter than aluminum.” Because this technology is very versatile, stable, and incredibly strong, it can be used for many different types of building. Read more about it here.

The cost of producing thermoplastics in this ways is significantly cheaper than the old way. Also, they are light weight which is why they are in demand by people who produce sporting equipment, cars, and technology for aerospace. The lightness will also save energy when it is used in making some kind of moving vehicle. The decreased cost of this new way of producing fiber-reinforced thermoplastics will make it more readily available and will provide safer equipment for the public.

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