New Metal-Coated Fibers and Fabric Lead to Novel, Practical Products

Abstract

Heated garments, space tethers, EMI/RFI shielding, and infrared decoys are some of the current applications being developed for a series of metal- coated fibers and fabrics being produced by Fiber Materials, Inc. at their Space Tech nology Division in Columbus, Ohio Although the processing is proprietary, it does not involve vacuum, high temperature or pressure, and is amenable to both batch and continuous processing. Further, whereas this new process renders fibers and fabrics electrically and thermally conductive, it does not degrade the original properties of the substrate.