RTI International has
developed a revolutionary lighting technology that is more energy efficient
than the common incandescent light bulb and does not contain mercury, making
it environmentally safer than the compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb.
 | | Solid-State Lighting Device |
At the core of RTI's breakthrough is an advanced nanofiber structure that provides
exceptional lighting management. Nanofibers are materials with diameters and
surface features much smaller than the human hair but with comparable lengths.
RTI's technology, which was funded in part by the Department of Energy's Solid-State
Lighting program, centers around advancements in the nanoscale properties of
materials to create high-performance, nanofiber-based reflectors and photoluminescent
nanofibers (PLN). When the two nanoscale technologies are combined, a high-efficiency
lighting device is produced that is capable of generating in excess of 55 lumens
of light output per electrical watt consumed. This efficiency is more than five
times greater than that of traditional incandescent bulbs.
"By using flexible photoluminescent nanofiber technologies for light management,
RTI has opened the door to the creation of new designs for solid-state lighting
applications," says Lynn Davis, Ph.D., director of RTI's Nanoscale Materials
Program. "This new class of materials can provide cost-effective, safe
and efficient lighting solutions."
Additionally, RTI's technology produces an aesthetically pleasing light with
better color rendering properties than is typically found in CFLs. The technology
has demonstrated color rendering indices in excess of 90 for warm white, neutral
white, and cool white illumination sources.
"Because lighting consumes almost one-fourth of all electricity generated
in the United States, our technology could have a significant impact in reducing
energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions," Davis said. "The
technology also does not contain mercury, which makes it more environmentally
friendly and safer to handle than CFLs and other fluorescent lamps."
RTI is continuing development of this technology and is actively pursuing commercialization
opportunities in the marketplace. It is anticipated that commercial products
containing this breakthrough will be available in three to five years.
Posted February 8th, 2010
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