Breaking through the manufacturing ‘glass ceiling’ for ZBLAN glass fibres

该项目旨在开发创新方法，提高氟化物玻璃（ZBLAN）光纤的纯度和制造规模，以提供更快，更高效的互联网。该项目预计通过整合玻璃科学、材料纯化、工艺自动化和空间制造方面的创新，生产出比迄今为止最好的光纤光损耗更低的ZBLAN光纤。预期成果包括ZBLAN纤维的工业规模生产，其性能比现有生产高10倍。该项目将提供创新的新制造方法，并通过增加ZBLAN在触及澳大利亚生活许多方面的大量应用中的可用性来改善经济和社会繁荣。

This project aims to develop innovative methods to improve the purity and manufacture scale of fluoride glass (ZBLAN) optical fibres to deliver faster and more efficient internet. This project expects to produce ZBLAN fibres with lower light loss than the best fibres to date by integrating innovations in glass science, materials purification, process automation and space manufacturing. Expected outcomes include industrial scale production of ZBLAN fibres with 10 times better performance than existing production. The project should provide innovative new manufacturing methods and improved economic and social prosperity by increasing the availability of ZBLAN for a wealth of applications touching many aspects of Australian lives.