Because they are both strong and lightweight, composite materials made from carbon fibres are the darlings of engineers in the aerospace industry. Unfortunately, such materials deteriorate over time. Wind and rain attack the glue that sticks the layers of carbon fibres together. As a consequence, the layers peel away from one another. Many people have tried to solve this problem, without success. A new method aims to do so by stitching the carbon-fibre layers together.rnBrian Wardle of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his colleagues noted that past attempts to reinforce composite materials, by sewing the layers together as well as gluing them, often ended up damaging the fibres because the metal needles and threads were so thick. Although the sewing did help the composite stay together, its strength was diminished. Dr Wardle reasoned that if a needle and thread could be made thin enough, such damage could be eliminated.
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