Whisker-reinforced hybrid fiber by method of base material infusion into whisker yarn

Abstract

A hybrid fiber consists of a continuous phase base material that permeates the length of the hybrid fiber and a plurality of fibrils or nanotubes that are dispersed throughout the hybrid fiber interior in the form of a yarn woven from the plurality of fibrils or nanotubes. The method of making the hybrid fiber involves coating the yarn with the continuous phase base material and infusing the continuous phase base material into the plurality of fibrils or nanotubes that form the yarn.

1 . A hybrid fiber comprising:
 a base material permeating an interior of the hybrid fiber and a length of the hybrid fiber; and,   a plurality of fibrils distributed throughout the base material, each fibril of the plurality of fibrils having a length that is a fraction of the hybrid fiber length and is aligned with the hybrid fiber length; and   the plurality of fibrils being formed into a yarn with the base material being infused into the yarn.   
     
     
         2 . The hybrid fiber of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 each fibril of the plurality of fibrils being a nanotube.   
     
     
         3 . The hybrid fiber of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 each fibril of the plurality of fibrils being a carbon nanotube.   
     
     
         4 . The hybrid fiber of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 each fibril of the plurality of fibrils being silicon carbide.   
     
     
         5 . The hybrid fiber of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the base material being a polymer.   
     
     
         6 . The hybrid fiber of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the base material being glass.   
     
     
         7 . The hybrid fiber of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a volume percentage of the plurality of fibrils in the hybrid fiber being in a range of 10 percent to 90 percent.   
     
     
         8 . The hybrid fiber of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a volume percentage of the plurality of fibrils in the hybrid fiber being in a range of 30 percent to 80 percent.   
     
     
         9 . The hybrid fiber of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the hybrid fiber being one of a plurality of hybrid fibers that are imbedded in a composite material.   
     
     
         10 . A hybrid fiber comprising:
 a base material permeating a length of the hybrid fiber; and,   a plurality of nanotubes distributed throughout the base material and interwoven into a yarn that extends the length of the hybrid fiber, each nanotube of the plurality of nanotubes having a length that is aligned with the length of the hybrid fiber and is a fraction of the length of the hybrid fiber.   
     
     
         11 . The hybrid fiber of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 the plurality of nanotubes being carbon nanotubes.   
     
     
         12 . The hybrid fiber of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a volume percentage of the plurality of nanotubes in the hybrid fiber being in a range of 30 percent to 80 percent.   
     
     
         13 . A method of making a hybrid fiber comprising:
 aligning and overlapping a plurality of fibrils forming a continuous strand having a strand length where each fibril of the plurality of fibrils has a fibril length that is aligned with the strand length and is a fraction of the strand length;   successively coating the strand with a liquid base material and infusing the liquid base material into the plurality of fibrils forming the strand; and,   allowing the liquid base material coating the strand and infused in the plurality of fibrils forming the strand to solidify resulting in the hybrid fiber.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 twisting the plurality of fibrils together and forming the strand as a yarn.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 using a plurality of nanotubes as the plurality of fibrils.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 using a plurality of carbon nanotubes as the plurality of fibrils.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 using a glass as the base material.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 pulling the strand through a bath of the liquid base material.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 containing the liquid base material in a container having a nozzle opening;   pulling the strand through the nozzle opening and into the liquid base material in the container and thereby successively coating the strand with the liquid base material and infusing the liquid base material into the plurality of fibrils forming the strand;   pulling the strand from the liquid base material; and,   allowing the liquid base material coating the strand and infused in the plurality of fibrils forming the strand to solidify resulting in the hybrid fiber.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 pulling the strand over a surface;   pouring the liquid base material onto the surface and the strand and thereby successively coating the strand with the liquid base material and infusing the liquid base material into the plurality of fibrils forming the strand;   pulling the strand from the surface; and,   allowing the liquid base material coating the strand and infused in the plurality of fibrils forming the strand to solidify resulting in the hybrid fiber.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 using a rotating cylindrical surface as the surface.