Gold ties and scarves

• Gold ties and scarves

Swiss engineers have received the world's first textile fibers and fabric with 24-carat gold plated, soft and durable, not afraid of washing and mechanical impact. From this tissue innovators manufactured batch of luxury accessories.

The specialists of the Swiss Federal Laboratory Materials and Technology (EMPA) developed a method of applying to the polyester fiber is extremely thin (of the order of 1 nm) coating of gold.

To this end, scientists have used the plasma chamber, wherein the ion stream velocity knocks atoms of gold piece. These atoms land on fiber slowly pulled through the chamber, and securely fixed to it.

The flow of argon ions carries gold atoms per filament.

Gold remains on the fiber even during the post-processing neither bending nor passing through the loom nor the final rinse not violate the integrity of the coating.

Further treatment of the fiber produced by industrial partners of the Institute - the company Weisbrod-Zürrer and Jakob Schlaepfer. They get out of the glittering strands tissue and produce the finished product. As long as it ties and handkerchiefs, but you can imagine a far greater list of products that have come to a "textile gold."

Previous attempts to create a gold tie relied on a simple technology. Scientists wrapped around the finest gold wires any fiber.

Alas, the fabric of these threads gets tough, metallic feel, and even the material was very fragile. Because y tie able to perform with gold only the front part, but the assembly and a portion wrapped around the neck remained normal. But ties made using the new method, do not fear, machine washable cover on them is not erased by mechanical action. And to touch these ties, work, by the way, of a material that combines gilt thread with a simple silk - very soft.

It is interesting that earlier the Swiss have brought to market an amazing gold chocolate.

While the Swiss got a gold material in sufficient quantity for all of a few accessories. But for Christmas stock replenished for another ten ties.

On the market the first exclusive series of products from the new tissue will lead the company Hofmann & Co. Each tie containing 8 grams of pure gold, evaluated at $ 8530.

The company Weisbrod-Zürrer also intends to sell ties and bow ties and scarves of gold material, and Jakob Schlaepfer uses separate threads of gold in their products collection 2012-2013 year.

EMPA experts received the first kilometer of the unusual yarn this summer, and next year they plan to increase production. Scientists note that the maximum load of the plasma unit they will be able to produce fiber which is sufficient to produce a maximum of 600 ties per year, but in reality this number is likely to be much smaller.