An open-weave Kevlar fabric, poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide), E.I. duPont Inc., was cut with a CO2 laser at a rate of 150 inches per minute and 1.0 kwatt power. Samples of the chemical by-products produced during the laser cutting were collected and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS), and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). A number of toxic and cancer-producing compounds are formed while cutting Kevlar with a high-power CO2 laser; therefore, adequate ventilation and appropriate hygienic procedures should be followed to prevent exposure of personnel in the laser-cutting facility.

Topics
Laser materials processing, Laser cutting, Gas chromatography, Liquid chromatography, Mass spectrometry, Polymers
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1987
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