Production of nanoparticle-coated yarns

An apparatus for coating a strand with

• a powdered material in a continuous process, comprising:
• a source of strand material to be coated;
• a device for supplying the strand to be coated from a spool;
• a device for heating a quantity of a polymer resin;
• a device for applying a layer of the heated polymer resin over the strand;
• a outermost spray enclosure, having an entry for the strand having had said resin layer applied and an exit for the strand, having been powder-coated within said outermost spray enclosure, defining a processing path for the strand;
• an intermediate enclosure within said outermost enclosure, also having an entry for the strand having had said resin layer applied and an exit for the powder-coated strand, arranged around said processing path;
• an innermost spray assembly within said intermediate enclosure, comprising at least three spray nozzles mounted at spaced locations along the processing path, having spray orifices directed toward and disposed radially around the processing path;
• reflective surfaces disposed opposite said at least three nozzles, for reflecting powdered material sprayed from said nozzles onto the surface of the strand opposite the corresponding nozzle;
• a pressurized spray source for providing streams of the powdered material to said spray nozzles, whereby the resin-coated strand is substantially uniformly coated by the powdered material;
• a collection device for collecting excess powdered material from within the outermost enclosure, intermediate enclosure, and innermost spray assembly, and
• a take-up reel device for winding up the powder-coated strand.