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Plastic light bulbs have all the benefits of LEDs, none of the downsides
The Verge ^ | 12/3/12 | Ben Kersey

Posted on 12/03/2012 8:54:16 AM PST by LibWhacker

Scientists at the Wake Forest University have created a new type of light bulb that promises to be just as efficient as LED equivalents, but without any of the drawbacks. The new field-induced polymer electroluminescent bulbs — FIPEL for short — produce light when an electric current is passed through the nano-engineered plastic layers. The team says that the new type of bulbs are malleable, allowing them to take any shape like compact fluorescent lamps. They also won’t shatter like traditional bulbs, nor will they generate the same hum or flicker.

The inventor of FIPEL, Dr David Carroll, believes that the new solution is superior to LED bulbs: "There's a limit to how much brightness you can get out of them. If you run too much current through them they melt." Not only that, the light generated by FIPEL bulbs is closer to natural sunlight, unlike the bluish tint generated by LEDs. Any worries about longevity are also put to rest by Carroll, who claims to have had a FIPEL prototype working in his laboratory for almost a decade. As for when the technology will make the jump to a commercial product, the team says that a "corporate partner" is interested in producing the new bulbs at scale, with the first run expected in 2013.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Science
KEYWORDS: bulbs; led; light; lightbulb; plastic
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To: Moltke

The MR16 is the most common bulb configuration in Asia and Europe.
Here’s what it looks like.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MR16


21 posted on 12/03/2012 10:57:12 AM PST by svcw (Why is one cell on another planet considered life, and in the womb it is not.)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

And your church budget will get some relief from high power bills.


22 posted on 12/03/2012 10:58:32 AM PST by svcw (Why is one cell on another planet considered life, and in the womb it is not.)
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To: svcw
And your church budget will get some relief from high power bills.

3 watts per fixture vs. 100


23 posted on 12/03/2012 11:05:06 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Politicalmom

I am curious, how do LEDs make you sick?


24 posted on 12/03/2012 11:06:18 AM PST by svcw (Why is one cell on another planet considered life, and in the womb it is not.)
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To: svcw

No it isn’t.

I’m in Europe and 90+% (my best guess) of light fixtures are E-type. All of mine are, save for a few neon (flourescent) lights. Same for my office, and anyone I know. I have a few CFLs and they have the Edison screw.

Those MR16s are more of a designer/specialty variant. Just like in the US. The market share is small compared to the E-type (of all sizes), which is the *standard* for incandescent bulbs of any variety, including reflector bulbs etc. Trust me on this.


25 posted on 12/03/2012 11:18:41 AM PST by Moltke ("I am Dr. Sonderborg," he said, "and I don't want any nonsense.")
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To: Moltke

Ok, whatever you say.


26 posted on 12/03/2012 11:20:16 AM PST by svcw (Why is one cell on another planet considered life, and in the womb it is not.)
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To: LibWhacker

I’m sure 0bama has Regulations or an EO that will make sure they never see the “Light of Day”

TT


27 posted on 12/03/2012 11:30:01 AM PST by TexasTransplant (Radical islam is islam. Moderate islam is the Trojan Horse.)
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To: Buckeye McFrog
3 watts per fixture vs. 100

A 3 watt led is nowhere near the equivalent of a 100 watt bulb.

""As of March 2011, manufacturers were just starting to produce high-powered LEDs for the home. Philips has developed a 60-watt replacement that only uses 12 watts of power, while GE has developed a 40-watt replacement that uses only 9 watts of power"".

28 posted on 12/03/2012 11:49:58 AM PST by ansel12 (The only Senate seat GOP pick up was the Palin endorsed Deb Fischer's successful run in Nebraska)
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To: thackney

” Effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on electron injection and charge generation in AC field-induced polymer electroluminescence”

Er, um, yeah. That’s my theory too.


29 posted on 12/03/2012 1:11:11 PM PST by lowbridge (Joe Biden: "Look, the Taliban per se is not our enemy.")
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To: svcw
MR16 is the "bulb and reflector" portion of the lamp, not the base.

The MR16 lamps are available with an medium screw base.

What are MR16 lamps?
http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/mr16/whatAreMR16.asp

30 posted on 12/03/2012 1:31:20 PM PST by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: svcw

Will they be GU10 base?


31 posted on 12/03/2012 2:29:04 PM PST by fanfan ("But if Muslims were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion there would be war.")
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To: fanfan

That sure looks like it.
Halogen replacement bulbs.
All I can tell you is that within two years the market will be flooded with LEDs with good light and that are inexpensive for the light time.
The Asian markets, and European markets are already replacing bulbs with these LED bulbs.


32 posted on 12/03/2012 2:43:14 PM PST by svcw (Why is one cell on another planet considered life, and in the womb it is not.)
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To: svcw

I bought some for the Christmas tree and mantel, and looking at them made me get nauseated. It’s like they pulsate or something. I had to move them outside. I HATE them.


33 posted on 12/03/2012 6:12:43 PM PST by Politicalmom (Liberalism. Ideas so great they have to be mandatory.-FReeper Osage Orange)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

I suspect they hired an electrical engineer or lighting designer who had a clue.


34 posted on 12/03/2012 6:53:24 PM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: Politicalmom

Yks!
They do flicker at 60 pulses per second, where incandescent blubs are constant.
Even though consciously we can’t detect that it almost sounds like somehow you are perceiving the pulsing, maybe that’s why you fell ill.
I know for myself florescent light gives me a headache.


35 posted on 12/03/2012 6:54:07 PM PST by svcw (Why is one cell on another planet considered life, and in the womb it is not.)
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To: Politicalmom

6 or 7 years ago i did up the whole outside of my house in LED Christmas lights.
Biggest mistake ever!
They gave off a goulish glow, and you are right, if i move my head too fast they seem like they are blinking or oscillating.
Now i have a 15 pound bag of useless lights up in my attic, What a waste.


36 posted on 12/03/2012 8:27:58 PM PST by mowowie
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To: svcw
Did you read about the new plastic bulbs?

Those could be promising.

37 posted on 12/06/2012 4:13:11 PM PST by fanfan ("But if Muslims were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion there would be war.")
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To: fanfan

They could be indeed.
I am particle to LEDs, here is an up and coming private company, very promising.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVFFwOIPS9c


38 posted on 12/06/2012 5:21:57 PM PST by svcw (Why is one cell on another planet considered life, and in the womb it is not.)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks LibWhacker.
39 posted on 12/15/2012 7:34:44 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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