What is Woven? According to SOTX it is "...made from a combination of 800D high grade carbon fiber and high grade glass fiber. It produces a racket with far greater elasticity than from the traditional material, resulting in far better grip. Woven is through a process of high technology. It does not contain liquid form material. The racket is therefore more stable and more efficient in impact control. With 90 degree scientific patterning, the racket has the best force-withstanding ability. Therefore with the Woven patterning racketing, the maximum threading poundage can even exceed 30 pounds... Woven is different from the traditional design (different angles employing different carbon particles). It enables proper balance of impact so as to achieve perfection in structural stability." OK, uhhhh, I guess...AMEN to Woven graphite!
Of all the rackets I've tried, I feel the SOTX Woven series is the most stable. As for liquid form material, hopefully an expert can chime in.
Liquid metal is the name given to a metal alloy with a liquid (amorphous) atomic structure. When a metal is cooled from a molten state its’ atoms arrange themselves in a crystalline form. The tightly packed metal ions align themselves with one another whilst the electrons are free to move around. However when the metal is mixed with some ‘rare-earth’ atoms, more scientifically known as yttrium, the crystallization of the atomic structure can be prevented. As a result the liquid metal structure is like that of a liquid; In a liquid the atoms are more spread out and the electrons are shared between the atoms, which have formed covalent bonds. The liquid metal is lighter and stronger than before the yttrium was added. It doesn’t deform on impact so is more efficient at returning the input energy from the ball back to it so that it provides 29% more power than Titanium. Carbon Nanotube technology produces extremely strong materials with similar molecular structure to that of a diamond. Tubes that are one-cell thick and without imperfection are the strongest materials at a molecular level. If the material is made in a greater quantity and still without imperfections it will retain this strength and is found to be up to 5 times more rigid than other, everyday carbon materials that are often used in rackets. Its’ high mechanical strength is not the only benefit as this material is also easily combined with polymers.
its too bad that yonex nanospeeds and such all contrain less than 1/10th of a gram of nano carbon..out of the total 80-95grams
true true true...... same to Ti series. even in tennis's rackets, Head Liquidmetal range also not fully liquidmetal. only at 2,4,8 & 10 o'clock positions. these extra solid materials only added to the frame at certain area for stabilize the racket when hitting the shuttlecock or tennis ball.
Time for somebody with money and authority to make his own personal ultimate racket with a very high nanotube content!
the ideal amount of nano carbon...except for certain areas, like head, where some headweight like elastic TI might be wanted or other technologies that yonex have... but ideally the whole racquet besides those special technologies need to be in nano carbon. This is where the problem comes in... single walled nanotubes(graphite sheets) are the most expensive, the price was over $1500 per gram in 2000, the lower grade single discharge SWNT typed nanocarbon has an estimated cost of $50-100 per gram in late 2007. This $50-$100 dollar per gram makes the ideal full nanocarbon racquet cost: Lets say the racquet without the technologies weighs 50grams without the handle: Lowest price (50/g) 50gram x $50USD = $2500USD for the racquet alone + marketing fees + manufacturing fees +shipping fees +other technologies. Highest price (100/g) 50gram x $100USD = $5000USD for the racquet alone + marketing fees + manufacturing fees + shipping fees +other technologies. Now lets say that shipping will add $5 to each racquet and marketing fees will be another $5 and manufacturing fees will be another $5, and assume that only another $10 is imposed on the total price for the other technologies. <----This is still insignificant when compared to the price of the racquet. As you can see the racquet prices will be in the range of $2525-$5025 USD minimum...i doubt anybody will buy these racquets.
i think its just a way to make normal carbon fibre sound more amazing. by not containing liquid it probably means its dry carbon not the stuff you see on riced civic hoods. those have resin impregnated into them. dry carbon is stronger than wet carbon. and unlike tradition car hoods its probably woven differently. instead of only being 2 dimensional sheets placed on each other traditionally it could be a 3d weave making it stronger. zonda recently changed the weave on their supercar to make it stronger, stiffer and lighter. so i think its just a way to advertise.
yup, an advertising edge. Yonex got theirs, sotx have theirs too. Yonex dont think using or boasting glass fiber is a big thing while sotx milk it for its worth. Does rackets containing glass give a buyer the confidence of durability? Eepak boast vectran fiber in his racket. Every makers claim to have the secret sauce
That was lost in translation which I also noticed last week. In the Chinese version, it says" goof feeling or control of the racquet", apparently the translator doesn't play badminton, so he translated the meaning word by word.
800 D = 800 denier (very coarse fiber) far great elasticity = yeap, it's elastic and returns to original shape far better grip = ? liquid form material = resin used to held the carbon fiber together 90 degree scientific patterning = woven technical fabric. please refer to: http://www.sultex.com/brochure_p7300hp_bod_35_06_09_e-7.pdf
I think this is a minor translating mistake form Sotx. Instead of 'liquid' it should be 'solvents'...though I'm guessing a bit
so, does it mean that these "so called" original rackets has only minimal advantage against fake or immitation rackets?