Graphene Lacrosse Head Composite for Impact and Climate Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lacrosse equipment, particularly the head, requires increased durability and flexibility to withstand extreme temperature and humidity variations while maintaining playability, as competitive lacrosse is a year-round activity with varying climatic conditions.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating graphene into lacrosse heads, specifically in a blend with polymers such as nylon 6-6 and polyketone, enhances the durability and impact resistance, allowing the heads to withstand multiple impacts and maintain consistent compression stiffness across a wide temperature range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If synthetic polymers are used to create lightweight and flexible lacrosse heads, then maneuverability and flexibility are improved, but durability and impact resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining synthetic polymers (such as nylon 6-6, polyketone, or amorphous nylon) with graphene in specific ratios (0.01-5% by weight). This composite structure allows the lacrosse head to simultaneously achieve the flexibility needed for maneuverability and the enhanced strength required for durability and impact resistance, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
2Strength
If traditional materials are used to ensure durability, then impact resistance is improved, but flexibility and maneuverability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The composite of polymer and graphene maintains the base polymer's flexibility characteristics while adding graphene's exceptional strength properties. This allows the lacrosse head to remain maneuverable and flexible for player control while simultaneously achieving superior impact resistance and durability.
3Reliability
If lacrosse equipment is designed for extreme temperature conditions, then reliability in varying climates is improved, but material consistency and performance uniformity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses temperature-related performance variations by incorporating graphene, which has exceptional thermal stability and maintains its structural properties across extreme temperature ranges (-40°F to 120°F). The graphene-reinforced composite material resists thermal degradation and maintains consistent mechanical properties, ensuring reliable performance in varying climatic conditions while preserving material consistency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The inclusion of graphene increases the tensile strength of the lacrosse head's throat by up to 10% and allows it to endure over 300 impacts with kinetic energy of 25-55 Joules, while maintaining compression stiffness within 30% across -15°C to 52°C, ensuring durability and predictable playability.
Implementation Method 1
a reinforcement element embedded in a polymer matrix to form a composite material
Implementation Method 2
the lacrosse head can withstand a predetermined number of impacts prior to failure, wherein the lacrosse head has attained a kinetic energy of about 25 Joules to about 55 Joules, prior to each impact
Implementation Method 3
maintain a compression stiffness within about 30% over a temperature range of −15° C. to 52° C.
Data Source
AI summary
Sporting equipment helmets are provided that include graphene. The graphene increases the durability of the sporting equipment helmets. Also provided is equipment for other contact sports that include graphene to increase durability.