RTI International, based in Research Triangle Park, NC, has developed a lighting technology that is more energy efficient than the common incandescent light bulb and doesn’t contain mercury, making it environmentally safer than the compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb. The technology centers on 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, the resulting high-efficiency lighting device is capable of generating more than 55 lumens of light output per electrical watt consumed — more than five times greater efficiency 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, PhD, director of RTI’s Nanoscale Materials Program. “This new class of materials can provide cost-effective, safe, and efficient lighting solutions.” Additionally, the 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 says. RTI is continuing development of the technology and actively pursuing commercialization opportunities.
Source: PhysOrg.com