Laminate for high strength, low weight gas enclosure applications e.g. airships, comprises at least one woven fabric layer laminated to a gas barrier material

摘要

A laminate comprises at least one woven fabric layer and a gas barrier material laminated to the fabric layer. The fabric has an aggregate strength greater than 10 grams per denier. A laminate (L1) comprises at least one woven fabric layer (1) and a gas barrier material (2) laminated to (1). (1) has an aggregate strength greater than 10 grams per denier. The yarns in (1) have sufficient twist to provide the high tensile conversion but less than the amount of twist that would produce unsatisfactory flex fatigue, and a yarn to fabric strength ratio sufficient to impart tear resistance to the fabric, but less than the ratio at which flex fatigue performance is unsatisfactory. (1) has minimum number of crossing points among the woven yarns that will impart integrity to (1). An independent claim is also included for an airship comprising a gas envelope and a tail assembly. The gas envelope comprises (L1).