Avery Dennison’s Intelligent Label Technology Is Changing The Retail Game At NRF Expo

GLENDALE, Calif. — January 15, 2018 — Avery Dennison Corp. will showcase how its RFID applications play an integral role in enabling a fully omnichannel experience at the 2018 National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Annual Convention and Expo. Building on its expertise in digital solutions for the retail industry, the company will also launch its Dynamic Window Display Advertising System at the event.

Avery Dennison will host an Exhibitor Insights discussion with performance brand adidas and multi-brand retailer SONAE about how RFID is changing the game in retail, and will present some of its latest innovations in RFID solutions, designer partnerships, and more.

“As innovators in intelligent labeling technology, we are leveraging our key learnings in the apparel industry to make advancements in other categories, such as food and beauty retail, where we see great opportunities for RFID,” said Francisco Melo, vice president and general manager, Global RFID, Avery Dennison. “Implementing RFID contributes to better inventory accuracy, more transparency in the supply chain and greater loss visibility, all of which ultimately leads to an enhanced consumer experience.”

Panel Discussion: Changing the Game with RFID

Avery Dennison will host the Exhibitor Big Ideas panel discussion on Monday, January 15, 2018 from 10:15-11:00 a.m. ET in Level 1 – TT2 at the Javits Convention Center. The panel, “Changing the Game with RFID,” will explore the increasingly critical role of RFID in retailers’ digital strategies in this rapidly changing marketplace.

Francisco Melo will moderate the panel, which consists of retail leaders and RFID experts, including:

  • Tsvetan Dimitrov, director, Business Solutions, adidas Group;
  • Marco Cunha, director, Supply Chain, SONAE; and
  • Dr. Bill C. Hardgrave Ph.D., vice president, Auburn University.

Expo Booth 1633

Through its intelligent labeling solutions, Avery Dennison connects the physical and digital worlds, providing tangible benefits for retailers in supply chain management and improving the consumer experience. The company will present its latest solutions at NRF’s EXPO through “Changing the Game with Intelligent Labeling Solutions,” which provides a compelling view of how RFID is used across retail verticals, as well as the company’s vision for the future, including:

  • Consumer Engagement – Avery Dennison’s new FLOW campaign supports omnichannel retailers in their quest to meet consumer expectations for a frictionless experience. By using intelligent label technology within a digital emotional intelligence (DEQ) framework, retailers can create “bridges” between touchpoints, platforms, devices, and apps to predict and seek to nurture consumer shopping behavior, increase consumer loyalty, and improve the consumer experience. A collaboration with Mishi Pay will demonstrate how products with a unique digital identity can enable mobile checkout in-store to create a truly frictionless shopping experience.
  • Designer Partnerships – Avery Dennison’s latest designer partnership for its Janela™ Smart Products Platform, the #AlwaysOn handbags from Rebecca Minkoff, will be demonstrated at the booth. With this technology, the designer’s customers are able to interactively engage with their handbags through a QR code to access personalized content, special offers, recommendations and other loyalty rewards, creating conversations at levels that encourage repeated interaction.
  • Dynamic Display Window Advertising System – Avery Dennison will launch its Dynamic Display Window Advertising System, the turnkey digital advertising solution based on technology developed by Gauzy, a leading provider of liquid-crystal-based materials, films, applications and solutions, with software provided by YCD Multimedia, a leading global provider of advanced digital signage software solutions. This innovative window film technology enables retailers to turn display windows into digital advertising screens by projecting campaigns, promotional offers and brand content to engage and enhance the consumer experience.
  • Food Safety – RFID has been proven to increase inventory accuracy to 99%+ and reduce waste by around 20% across the food industry, improving safety due to increased visibility of use-by dates. To deliver a true end-to-end solution for the food industry, Avery Dennison will launch its first microwave safe UHF RFID inlay. Designed specifically for the food industry, the UHF RFID inlay avoids arcing or excessive heating when used as recommended if subjected to a microwave environment, ensuring food safety and compliance. In addition, the company’s Freshmarx® solutions offer a complete food safety and intelligent labeling solution for the food industry through temperature-tracking, RFID inventory visibility and automated food labeling for ingredient prep and prepared foods.

Posted January 15, 2018

Source: Avery Dennison

Meeting the Unique Challenges of the Automotive Industry’s E-Mobility Era

DETROIT — January 15, 2018 — For the second year in a row, visitors attending the North American International Auto Show in Detroit will be able to experience some of the newest developments in Mobility and E-Mobility at the Automobili-D exposition at Cobo Center. The event offers confirmation that groundbreaking changes are taking place in the automotive industry, and as advanced electric vehicle systems gain traction, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is working to meet current customer needs while also preparing for what the future may hold.

Although both the internal combustion engine and electrified powertrains are expected to grow, Freudenberg is planning on electric vehicles reaching significant volumes by 2025 and beyond. This means that automakers and suppliers are already getting immersed in the product and solution needs specific to E-Mobility advancement.

“Our current focus is two-fold,” said Claus Möhlenkamp, CEO of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. “We want to help make internal combustion engines more efficient with our solutions, but dually, we are channeling a serious amount of focus into developing components for the new powertrain technologies that will shape the mobility of the future.”

To achieve this, Freudenberg has tapped into its global network of material, engineering and manufacturing experts to design seals that address crucial requirements for optimal E-Mobility powertrains, including thermal management, power efficiency, friction and weight reduction, and compact installation spaces.

“Batteries with a high power density will have a corresponding need for cooling,” said Möhlenkamp. “Having a variety of seal types is indispensable for the transmissions of electrically-driven vehicles. Not to mention, the housings for sophisticated control electronics must be sealed as well.”

With its expertise in battery safety, Freudenberg has created several sealing solutions in a wide range of materials for lithium-ion batteries that address flammability standards and installation challenges.

Recently, the company also introduced a new housing seal for batteries that optimizes pressure compensation. DIAvent provides ideal pressure management in large-scale batteries used in electric and hybrid vehicles.

DIAvent is made up of multiple layers of a nonwoven fabric and an umbrella membrane that provide extremely high gas permeation during normal operation. The seal also has a reversible, emergency degassing function in case of a cell malfunction. DIAvent is water tight and oil resistant, meets multiple protection category requirements for dust, water and particle contamination and can be quickly assembled and installed in the battery.

Freudenberg is also addressing the concern of keeping small volume production of electric vehicles cost-effective by offering a seal for traction battery housings. The patented “Profile to Gasket” concept (P2G) was developed for production volumes of up to 5,000 batteries annually.

Dynamic seals are also needed in electric motors, and Simmerring® Shaft Seals remain indispensable in the transmissions of electrically-powered vehicles. A Simmerring Shaft Seal featuring a conductive nonwoven element not only saves weight and space but also reduces the risk of a shaft becoming electrically charged and damaging the gearbox.

Freudenberg’s innovative products are also assisting manufacturers with optimization of traditional internal combustion engines. The company provides solutions such as the Energy Saving Seal (ESS), which can lower friction by up to 40 percent in multi-directional applications, and its Low Friction Simmerring Shaft Seal (LFS), which reduces friction by as much as 20 percent.

In addition, the benefits of Freudenberg’s 2K Plug & Seal for electric vehicles and hybrids are numerous, offering a reduction in system weight, design customization, complex sealing geometries and chemical bonding between the component’s hard and soft materials, which eliminates potential leakage. The company also offers Encoders, Edge Bonded Seals, Plug and Seal components and Coated Embossed Gaskets for all powertrain technologies.

Posted January 15, 2018

Source: Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

Checkpoint Systems Announces Its First In-Store Underfloor RFID Solution to Improve Retail Inventory Management

NEW YORK CITY — January 15, 2018 — Checkpoint Systems, a global supplier of Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) and RFID solutions for the retail industry, today announced here at the NRF Big Show an underfloor RFID antenna, UF-1.

Delivering the same market-leading quality as Checkpoint’s more traditional EAS antennas, but using unique, patented RFID reader technology, the UF-1 system offers a large read range, with the added benefit of harnessing the power of RFID data to improve inventory management within a completely invisible solution.

UF-1 is suited to a wide array of projects, from those wanting aesthetically pleasing, open entrances to malls that restrict the use of traditional EAS antennas across their openings, to retailers that need wide, obstruction free store doorways.

Using patented Checkpoint Wirama Radar™ technology, the underfloor RFID-enabled solution can identify the direction of a tag passing over the antenna, whether into the store, out of the store, or along the door. It is also able to determine if an item is simply located nearby the exit or potentially being stolen — minimizing false alarms.

According to Carl Rysdon, vice president of Inventory Control Solutions for Checkpoint Systems, “As physical stores look to push the boundaries of retail design, demand for non-intrusive security systems at the store entrance/exit is growing. We’re excited to launch this underfloor RFID solution, which will enable retailers to become even more creative with their store designs and help them improve their customers’ in-store experience. UF-1 is advanced floor-based solution and we expect it to be extremely popular among RFID adopters.”

Posted January 15, 2018

Source: Checkpoint Systems

Checkpoint Systems Introduces Innovative Electronics Platform For Its EAS Antennas

NEW YORK CITY — January 15, 2018 — Checkpoint Systems, a global supplier of Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) and RFID solutions for the retail industry, today announced here at the NRF Big Show a radical shake-up of its range of EAS antennas, with the introduction of a revolutionary new electronics platform.

NEO will deliver enhanced detection and connectivity to retailers, enabling them to improve store operations. The powerful new electronics represent a seismic shift in the way radio frequency-based (RF) EAS solutions perform in store and enable the sensors to become a key part of the connected store environment.

Available immediately, NEO will debut in a range of new, more aesthetically pleasing antenna designs, aiding retailers that are looking to create a more enticing shop entrance.

Superior performance

NEO pushes the capabilities of RF-based EAS solutions, boosting the standard detection range by up to 35 percent so that retailers can increase the distance between each antenna to almost nine feet. The unique electronics deliver superior detection and mean the sensors are capable of protecting the smallest of labels – including those used on cosmetics products – against theft, in either the current aisle width setup or wider.

True connectivity

A first for the retail industry, NEO-enabled antennas will feature wireless Bluetooth connectivity. This means that stores will no longer have to connect antennas via underfloor cabling — a costly and time consuming process. Its remote connectivity ensures that the EAS investment is maximized, with Checkpoint providing a live system health check and online service support, while alarm-related data can be synchronized to the cloud to provide real-time actionable insights.

Improved design

With smaller, more efficient electronics, the antenna’s footprint has been minimized. The new NP10 and NP20 sensors — the next generation of the highly successful P10 and P20 devices — are the first to include NEO electronics. Developed for grocery and big box retailers, they will feature a less intrusive, lightweight, more contemporary look with a brushed metal frame. The antennas have been designed with RFID in mind, with retailers able to seamlessly upgrade their sensors without any impact on the antenna frame.

According to Carl Rysdon, vice president of Inventory Control Solutions for Checkpoint Systems, “We designed the blueprint for the very first EAS antenna, and we’re proud to introduce a new era for the technology. Retailers are now led by data, and NEO is pivotal to loss prevention sensors becoming part of the connected store. The revolutionary electronics that we’ve developed allow for the seamless transfer of data to the cloud, which ultimately helps stores to make informed business decisions, based on analytics.”

The NP10 and NP20 sensors are available immediately, and Checkpoint will unveil further designs for other vertical markets throughout 2018.

Posted January 15, 2018

Source: Checkpoint Systems

Cone Denim Expands OEKO-TEX® Certification To Mexico Platform

GREENSBORO, N.C. — January 15, 2018 — Cone Denim® is pleased to announce that its Cone Denim Parras and Cone Denim Yecapixtla operations in Mexico have received OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification on selected denim products. The company’s Cone Denim Jiaxing operation in China received certification in 2015. The company is now able to provide Oeko-Tex certified fabrics on a global basis.

OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification provides transparency in the textile supply chain and assures consumers that certified products have been produced without the use of illegal, regulated or other known harmful substances. The “Confidence in Textiles” motto designates independent testing for harmful substances for textile products of all types which pose no risk to health since 1992.

“The expansion of our OEKO-TEX certification to denim fabrics produced from our Mexico facilities offers additional confidence in our products and opens new opportunities to our customers worldwide,” said Steve Maggard, senior vice president, Operations and Manufacturing, Cone Denim. “We remain committed to responsible manufacturing and promoting sustainable practices and components within our products and processes that minimize our environmental footprint while providing our customers the highest level of denim innovation and design. The OEKO-TEX certification provides our customers and the end consumer further validation of our practices and the benefits of Cone Denim’s SustainblueTM line featuring the highest level of environmentally responsible denims. ”

Cone Denim has operated in Mexico since 1995 producing industry-leading denims, both rigid and stretch, including S-Gene® products as well as many other high-performance and sustainable denim styles. The company’s Cone Denim Jiaxing facility opened in 2007 in China. This combined global platform is strategically designed to provide customers with innovative and market-driven denims and services from a comprehensive global network of manufacturing platforms. Certified labs and proprietary process control systems are central to producing high quality fabrics with exceptional shade and physical consistency.

Posted January 15, 2018

Source: Cone Denim

Global Floor Coverings Industry Enthusiastically Embraces New DOMOTEX

HANNOVER, Germany — January 15, 2018 — DOMOTEX 2018 featured a fresher, more modern, trendier look and feel than ever. Running from January 12-15 in Hannover, Germany, the event sported an all-new site and hall layout, plus a new Friday-to-Monday run and an array of immersive displays exploring the lead theme of UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE. This all added up to optimal visitor orientation and a fresh take on the world of floor coverings.

As the world’s leading trade fair for carpets and floor coverings, Domotex once again delivered top performance as a driver of new business, trends and innovations. 1,615 exhibitors and 45,000 trade visitors from more than 100 nations traveled to Hannover to kick off an exciting year of business. The new Domotex was enthusiastically received by the global floor coverings industry, which sported a record number of exhibitors and a record amount of booked space (106,000 square meters), thus underscoring a tangible turnaround in the floor coverings industry.

“Significant growth in the number of participating exhibitors and the amount of booked space, a strong visitor turnout, an abundance of new products and innovations as well as an upbeat mood throughout the exhibition halls all bear witness to the great success of this year’s event”, commented Dr. Andreas Gruchow as the responsible member of Deutsche Messe’s Managing Board at the close of the event. “With UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE as this year’s chosen keynote theme, Domotex provided a brightly lit stage for the individualization trend and all the inspiration and innovation associated with it, thus enhancing the show’s image as a prime source of orientation on interior furnishing and lifestyle trends.”

“Framing Trends” showcase provided a huge source of inspiration

The special “Framing Trends” showcase in Hall 9 was where visitors could most fully experience the significance of “UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE” as the exhibition’s keynote theme. Exhibitors, young designers and artists used Framing Trends to explore the topic of individuality in 20 different “framed” rooms. This special display proved hugely popular among attendees and offered a wealth of inspiration. “Framing Trends was a big success. Its fresh approach gave rise to lots of new ideas and made Domotex more attractive than ever,” remarked Gruchow. “This special showcase will therefore also be a key offering at future editions of Domotex,” he added.

A visit to Framing Trends was particularly high on the agenda of architects, designers and planners, who used this creative hotspot to gather new inspiration for their work — all the more so since Framing Trends covered the full spectrum of floor covering products. “‘Framing Trends’ in Hall 9 attractively featured and summarized everything on offer at Domotex. With its fresh approach and central location, it served as the beating heart of the show and proved especially appealing to architects, interior designers and designers,” commented Chris Middleton, an architect at KINZO based in Berlin.

Highly international mix of attendees

More than 65 percent of the event’s 45,000 visitors came from abroad — around 60 percent of them coming from Europe, with some 25 percent from Asia and 11 percent from the Americas. Attendance from the United States and South and Central America increased. The majority of Domotex visitors were buyers from specialist retailers and wholesalers as well as architects and interior designers and workers from the skilled trades. A strong increase in attendance was particularly evident among home furnishing and furniture stores, architects, interior designers, contract floorers and skilled tradesmen. As usual, Domotex visitors once again demonstrated a high degree of decision-making authority.

Visitors were delighted at the many innovations on display. “SÜDBUND takes part in Domotex every year. This time we organized our first-ever delegation trip to Domotex for our members. We’re thrilled about all the inspiration we were able to gather, including insight into the latest floor covering advancements and trends. It’s already clear to us that we’ll be back with an even larger delegation in 2019,” said Michael Kovac, Purchasing Manager for Floor Coverings & Accessories at SÜDBUND – the Purchasing Association for Home Textiles based in Backnang, Germany).

Strong contributions by architects and designers

The rich supporting program of talks and presentations on the keynote theme provided further inspiration, and met with a very enthusiastic response on the part of exhibitors and visitors alike. Among the featured speakers were such renowned architects as Werner Aisslinger (Studio Aisslinger, Berlin), Andreas Krawczyk (NKBAK, Frankfurt/Main), Chris Middleton (KINZO, Berlin) and Jürgen Mayer H. (J.MAYER.H and Partners, Berlin). Intriguing architecture and design projects were presented and discussed, covering everything from initial conceptualization to the design process and on to production and sales strategies. Daily guided tours led by big-name architects and designers such as Peter Ippolito (Ippolito Fleitz Group, Stuttgart), Jürgen Mayer. H. (J.MAYER.H and Partners, Berlin) and Susanne Schmidhuber (SCHMIDHUBER, Munich) gave visitors special insight into products and the show’s keynote theme while putting them in direct touch with exhibitors of particular interest to them.

The talks given by the internationally acclaimed interior design blogger and author Holly Becker from Decor8 also met with very enthusiastic audiences. Becker explained how Domotex exhibitors could collaborate with bloggers to raise the market profile of their products. Together with other well-known bloggers, she also delved into the topic of tomorrow’s furnishing trends. The use of virtual reality as an interior design tool was an equally exciting topic in Hall 9, where many visitors donned virtual reality glasses to experience the many possible uses and benefits of this new technology.

Further inspiration was provided by the “Art Day Workshops” staged within the context of Framing Trends by Canadian design firm Creative Matters. Participants were invited to experiment with colors, coal, tint and wax on paper to create fresh new designs pertaining to the keynote theme, UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE. At the so-called floorCODES WorkLabs held by the Institute of International Trend Scouting (of the University of Applied Research and Art, Hildesheim, Germany), participants had an opportunity to apply the institute’s “IIT HAWK” method to generate visionary scenarios for the future of floor coverings.

The presentation of the Carpet Design Awards on the Saturday of the show was another highlight in Hall 9. These internationally renowned awards were given in eight different categories, in recognition of the world’s most beautiful handmade designer carpets. Also worthy of special mention is that Hall 13 established itself as a new magnet for parquet layers and other floor-laying professionals as well as interior decorators and painters, while the many Treffpunkt Handwerk offerings gave skilled tradespeople a valuable source of tips and tricks for their everyday work.

The next Hannover edition of Domotex will be staged January 11-14, 2019.

Starting in 2019, Domotex will also be staged in North America. The debut of Domotex USA will be from February 28-March 2, 2019, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Posted January 15, 2018

Source: Domotex Worldwide

EcoWipes Invests In Innovative And Sustainable Technology From Trützschler And Voith

EGELSBACH, Germany — January 14, 2018 — EcoWipes is a young, innovative company that has become a leading manufacturer and converter of private label products for the hydro-entangled nonwoven segment. The firm, which is located to the north of Warsaw, was established in 2009 and has now already ordered its third nonwovens production line.

EcoWipes has a strong focus on innovation and sustainability and intensively monitors local and global market trends. In view of the rising consumer interest in biodegradable materials, EcoWipes opt for partners Trützschler Nonwovens and Voith to supply the new production line. The progressive and sustainable WLS (wet-laid spunlacing) concept developed by the two companies for manufacturing wet-laid hydroentangled nonwovens is a perfect fit for the EcoWipes product range. It is ideally suited for producing flushable wipes but also recyclable and biodegradable products. These materials meet consumer preferences for greater sustainability at the end of the product cycle.

The sale of this fifth WLS facility is testimony to the successful collaboration between Trützschler Nonwovens and Voith as established technology leaders in the wet-laid hydroentangled nonwoven segment.

The new production line at EcoWipes is a flexible wet-dry nonwoven facility. Voith is supplying the HydroFormer, one of the main components of the new line. The HydroFormer concept builds on Voith’s long experience in the paper and pulp industry. With HydroFormer technology the suspension is highly diluted, so nonwovens can be produced entirely from cellulose, a renewable and cost-effective raw material.

Trützschler Nonwovens is not just responsible for the hydroentangling, drying and reeling up, but will also supply its latest high-speed card. This flexible configuration enables EcoWipes to produce a broad product range of wet-laid/spunlaced or carded/spunlaced nonwovens.

Posted January 14, 2018

Source: Trützschler Nonwovens

AmeriPride Earns Another Hygienically Clean Healthcare Certification

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — January 12, 2018 — AmeriPride Services’ Roswell, N.M., laundry is the organization’s latest recipient of Hygienically Clean (HC) Healthcare certification. This designation reflects their commitment to best management practices (BMPs) in laundering as verified by on-site inspection and their capability to produce hygienically clean textiles as quantified by ongoing microbial testing.

The certification confirms AmeriPride’s dedication to infection prevention, compliance with recognized industry standards and processing healthcare textiles using BMPs as described in its quality assurance documentation, a focal point for Hygienically Clean inspectors’ evaluation. The independent, third-party inspection must also confirm essential evidence that:

  • Employees are properly trained and protected;
  • Managers understand regulatory requirements;
  • OSHA-compliant; and
  • Physical plant operates effectively.

AmeriPride now has 13 Hygienically Clean Healthcare certified facilities throughout the United States. In addition to the Roswell plant, these are located in Little Rock, Ark.; Phoenix; Watkinsville, Ga.; Topeka, Kan.; Twin Falls, Idaho; Bemidji and Minneapolis, Minn.; Springfield, Mo.; Omaha, Neb.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Lubbock, Texas. The company’s Canadian Linen and Uniform Service facility in Lethbridge, Alberta, is also Hygienically Clean Healthcare certified.

Certified facilities pass three rounds of outcome-based microbial testing, indicating that their processes are producing Hygienically Clean Healthcare textiles and diminished presence of yeast, mold and harmful bacteria. To maintain their certification, laundry plants must pass quarterly testing to ensure that as laundry conditions change, such as water quality, textile fabric composition and wash chemistry, laundered product quality is consistently maintained.

This process eliminates subjectivity by focusing on outcomes and results that verify textiles cleaned in these facilities meet appropriate hygienically clean standards and BMPs for hospitals, surgery centers, medical offices, nursing homes and other medical facilities.

Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification acknowledges laundries’ effectiveness in protecting healthcare operations through testing and inspections that scrutinize quality control procedures in textile services operations related to the handling of textiles containing blood and other potentially infectious materials.

Certified laundries use processes, chemicals and BMPs acknowledged by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, American National Standards Institute and others. Introduced in 2012, Hygienically Clean Healthcare brought to North America the international cleanliness standards for healthcare linens and garments used worldwide by the Certification Association for Professional Textile Services and the European Committee for Standardization.

Objective experts in epidemiology, infection control, nursing and other healthcare professions work with Hygienically Clean launderers to ensure the certification continues to enforce the highest standards for producing clean healthcare textiles.

“Congratulations to AmeriPride on their certifications,” said Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO. “This achievement proves their ongoing commitment to infection prevention and that their laundry facilities take every step possible to prevent human illness.”

Posted January 12, 2018

Source: TRSA

Rice University Research: Nanotube Fibers In A Jiffy

HOUSTON — January 11, 2018 — The terms handmade and high tech are not commonly found in the same sentence, but they both apply to a Rice University method to quickly produce fibers from carbon nanotubes.

The method developed by the Rice lab of chemist Matteo Pasquali allows researchers to make short lengths of strong, conductive fibers from small samples of bulk nanotubes in about an hour.

The work complements Pasquali’s pioneering 2013 method to spin full spools of thread-like nanotube fibers for aerospace, automotive, medical and smart-clothing applications. The fibers look like cotton thread but perform like metal wires and carbon fibers.

It can take grams of material and weeks of effort to optimize the process of spinning continuous fibers, but the new method cuts that down to size, even if it does require a bit of hands-on processing.

Pasquali and lead author and graduate student Robby Headrick reported in Advanced Materials that aligning and twisting the hair-like fibers is fairly simple.

First, Headrick makes films. After dissolving a small amount of nanotubes in acid, he places the solution between two glass slides. Moving them quickly past each other applies shear force that prompts the billions of nanotubes within the solution to line up. Once the resulting films are deposited onto the glass, he peels off sections and rolls them up into fibers.

“The film is in a gel state when I peel it, which is important to get a fully densified fiber,” Headrick said. “You twist it when it’s wet throughout the cross section of the structure, and when you dry it, the capillary pressure densifies it.”

Headrick was dissatisfied with the reproducibility of his initial experiments and discussed the procedure with his father, Robert, an amateur woodworker. The elder Headrick quickly came up with a simple device to support the slides and control the shearing process.

The dried nanotube fibers are about 7 centimeters long; the electrical performance is equivalent to long fibers created by the original spinning method but even more dense with a tensile strength up to 3.5 gigapascals (GPa), better than spun fibers. The researchers expect that nanotubes 50,000 to 70,000 times longer than they are wide will produce fibers of 35 to 40 GPa, about the strength of an individual carbon nanotube.

“We can process all kinds of nanotubes the exact same way so we get optimal fiber structures and properties,” Headrick said. “It speeds things up and allows us to explore nanotubes that are only available in small quantities.”

Pasquali said the process reproduces the high nanotube alignment and high packing density typical of fibers produced via spinning, but at a size sufficient for strength and conductivity tests.

“We now use this as a quick lab test to assess new materials and to create target properties for the large-scale method,” Pasquali said. “We’ll know in advance what the material can deliver, whereas before, we could only infer it. This could be especially important for carbon nanotube producers who want to change their reactor conditions to give them quick feedback or for quality control, as well as for testing samples that have been sorted by metallic versus semiconductor type or even helicity.”

Co-authors of the paper are Rice alumni Dmitri Tsentalovich, now of DexMat Inc., and Julián Berdegué and graduate student Amram Bengio; Matthew Lucas of the Universal Technology Corp. and Air Force Research Laboratory, Dayton, Ohio; and students Lucy Liberman and Olga Kleinerman and Yeshayahu Talmon, a professor emeritus of chemical engineering, of Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Pasquali is a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, of materials science and nanoengineering and of chemistry, and chair of Rice’s Department of Chemistry.

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Robert A. Welch Foundation, the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation and a NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship supported the research.

Posted January 12, 2018

Source: Rice University’s Office of Public Affairs

New York & Company Announces Addition Of New Independent Director Miki Racine Berardelli To Its Board

NEW YORK CITY — January 12, 2018 — New York & Company Inc., a specialty apparel chain with 459 retail stores, announced the appointment of Miki Racine Berardelli as an independent director to its Board of Directors, effective January 3, 2018. Berardelli brings to the Company’s Board significant experience in digital marketing and commerce in the apparel retail industry. The background of Ms. Berardelli builds upon the talents of the existing Board members, which now includes eight independent members.

Berardelli, 47, has served as CEO of Kidbox, a fast-growing start-up digital commerce business selling children’s apparel and accessories, since 2016. Before joining Kidbox, from 2014 to 2016, Berardelli served as president, Digital Commerce & Chief Marketing Officer of Chico’s FAS Inc. From 2009 to 2014, she  served as Chief Marketing Officer of Tory Burch LLC, and from 2002 to 2009 she served as senior vice president of Marketing and in a number of other senior-level marketing positions for Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. From October 2013 to August 2014, Berardelli was a member of the board of directors of Sport Chalet Inc., a specialty sporting goods retailer. She holds an M.S. from Northwestern University and a B.A. from the University of Iowa.

New York & Company’s Non-Executive Chair of the Board of Directors Grace Nichols stated: “We are excited to welcome Miki to our Board of Directors and look forward to benefiting from her strong background in brand building, digital and social marketing and e-commerce, demonstrating our ability to grow our Board with the talented people who possess the skills and expertise to assist us to achieve our goals. Her deep knowledge and proven track record will be highly valuable to our Company as we look to more closely connect with our consumers to further increase brand awareness, consumer loyalty and drive sales across our brick-and-mortar and digital channels. We are proud to have a diverse Board which is now comprised of eight independent directors, five of whom are women who have a special appreciation for how the New York & Company brand makes women look great and feel good.”

Posted January 12, 2018

Source: New York & Company

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