Thomas R Archuleta

US Patent:

6432537, Aug 13, 2002

Filed:

May 29, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/077514

Inventors:

David James Devlin - Los Alamos NM
Don Mayo Coates - Santa Fe NM
Thomas Arthur Archuleta - Espanola NM

Assignee:

E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company - Wilmington DE
The Reagents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

H05H 124

US Classification:

428408, 428368, 427577, 427904

Abstract:

A process for improving the mechanical properties, particularly the flexural rigidity, of aramid fibers by directly depositing a diamond-like-carbon coating onto the surface of the fibers is disclosed. Diamond-like-carbon (DLC) coated aramid fibers having increased flexural rigidity are also disclosed. DLC coated aramid fibers show an increase in flexural rigidity and suppression of low yielding behavior when compared to uncoated aramid fibers.

US Patent:

60370165, Mar 14, 2000

Filed:

May 29, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/077513

Inventors:

David James Devlin - Los Alamos NM
Don Mayo Coates - Santa Fe NM
Thomas Arthur Archuleta - Espanola NM
Robert Steven Barbero - Santa Cruz NM

Assignee:

E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company - Wilmington DE
Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

D06M 1174
C23C 1600
B05D 306

US Classification:

427577

Abstract:

A process of coating a non-conductive fiber with diamond-like carbon, including passing a non-conductive fiber between a pair of parallel metal grids within a reaction chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon gas into the reaction chamber, forming a plasma within the reaction chamber for a sufficient period of time whereby diamond-like carbon is formed upon the non-conductive fiber, is provided together with a reactor chamber for deposition of diamond-like carbon upon a non-conductive fiber, including a vacuum chamber, a cathode assembly including a pair of electrically isolated opposingly parallel metal grids spaced apart at a distance of less than about 1 centimeter, an anode, a means of introducing a hydrocarbon gas into said vacuum chamber, and a means of generating a plasma within said vacuum chamber.