Monday, July 11, 2011

Butterflies as Models for Fabric Fiber Colors

Like butterfly wing structure, fibers of various thicknesses have been found to determine colors. Thin films of polyester or nylon of 70-nm thickness are laminated in 61 alternative layers, By controlling layer thickness according to visible wavelength, four colors are produced without using dyes or pigment: red, green, blue and violet.

The butterfly-inspired fibers produce diverse colors, improve material quality and are expected to be used in painting, cosmetics, crafts. The invention is patented, commercialized and identified as "Morphotex" used for clothing, nail polish, mascara, coating musical instruments and fishing rods as reported in NASA Tech Briefs, July 2011, p. 33 -- see also www.techbriefs.com/tow/201107a.html for the full report.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Laboratory Supervisor Opportunity in Applied Coatings R&D

Coatings Research Group, Inc. (CRGI) located in Independence, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, has an interesting opportunity for a Laboratory Supervisor. Coatings Research Group is an international association of paint and coating manufacturers dedicated to the benefits of shared research and development.

Dr. Jackie Savoca, Executive Director of Coatings Research Group, and her team, created the "Green Wise" paint certification program. CRGI is certified as an ISO 17025 accredited testing laboratory by Laboratory Accreditation Bureau. Through a system of international agreements, this accreditation is recognized worldwide.

CRGI operates a 6,000 sq. ft. (550 sq. m.) applied technology laboratory staffed by 6 full time professional employees. The laboratory conducts private studies for global member companies and cooperative R&D projects on raw material evaluations, worldwide product benchmarking (often more that 100 products are evaluated), and paint formulation optimization.

If you are interested in contributing to applied R&D paint and coating research as CRGI's Laboratory Supervisor, contact Coatings Research Group, Inc., in Independence, Ohio.