RTI International’s nanofiber lighting improvement technology (NLITeTM) has been honored with a 2011 R&D 100 Award. Established in 1963 by the editors of R&D Magazine, the annual R&D 100 Awards identify the 100 most significant, newly introduced research and development advances of the past year in multiple disciplines.

RTI's technology, which was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy's Solid-State Lighting program under a core technology project, has led to the development of high-performance, nanofiber-based reflectors that allow highly efficient light transmission. It also has led to the development of photoluminescent nanofibers (PLNTM) that can be used to produce an aesthetically pleasing light with excellent color rendering properties, especially in solid-state lighting applications.

At the core of RTI’s invention is an advanced polymer nanofiber structure with strong lighting management and color rendering properties. Nanofibers are materials with diameters and surface features much smaller than the human hair but with comparable lengths. Powered by a blue LED, the RTI device uses a highly reflectant nanofiber mat, treated with photoluminescent coatings, to produce white light.

For more information about the DOE Solid-State Lighting R&D Portfolio, visit the R&D Projects page.