Super-strong fiber

Polymeric Liquid Crystals and Super-Strong Fibers... 

You can indeed make a super-strong fiber, even stronger than steel, from a polymer, but the polymer must be converted into a special liquid-crystalline state which is really a variety of the viscous state. If you think of a viscous polymer as of some polymeric liquid , then a liquid-crystalline polymer can be regarded as an anisotropic polymeric liquid . The anisotropy occurs spontaneously, with no help from outside (such as orientating fields, mechanical stresses or whatever). 

Dyneema Super-strong polyethylene fiber DSM/Toyoba... 

Spectra Super-strong polyethylene fiber Allied fibers... 

Recent developments in s5mthesis and assembling CNTs into continuous fibers have opened the doors to more widespread research in the effort to develop the ultimate fiber (see Section 5.4.7). When subjected to high pressrue, some of the bonds can convert to sp bonds, which may provide a means for cross-linking the CNT fibers into a super-strong fabric—carbon threads joined by diamonds. 

As mentioned in 10.2.3, super-strong polymeric, ceramic, metallic, and carbon fibers are now used to reinforce various t) es of composifes. However strong the fiber may be, fhe composite is no better than the bond between the fiber and its matrix. Consider a fiber of diameter D and length L, half of which is imbedded in a matrix along the z-axis. If a longitudinal force F is applied that tries to pull the fiber ouf of the matrix, the matrix will... 

However, in reality, in unmodified PPTA, only the microfibrillar dimension of 10 nm in diameter was attained. The rod-like molecules dispersed in molecular level are expected to reinforce the matrix flexible molecules if the molecular interaction between both components is strong enough. The merits of MC are expected in the large aspect ratio of rod-like molecules. Another possible merit is in the realization of ideal valence bond strength in the main chain, which is free from any defects associated with the super-structure of macroscopic fiber. 

Thus, fibers are best formed from strong silica and silicate melts by down-drawing them from preforms or from conventional bushings. Glass fibers can be formed from fragile melts, but they must be super-cooled to a viscosity in the log 2.5 and log 3.0 poise range. 

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