 r/hardware, r/Engineering, r/materials  r/AdvancedMaterials.



Hey everyone,

I’ve been hyper-fixating on a hardware/materials science concept lately, and the deeper I dig, the more I think there’s a massive blind spot on the current market for hybrid cables.

Hear me out. Right now, the industry is obsessed with **Hybrid Cables** (Copper for power + Fiber optics for high-speed data). But current solutions are clunky: they just bundle separate copper wires and glass fibers inside a thick outer jacket. Plus, termination is a nightmare because glass fiber requires expensive fusion splicing.

What if we fused them *coaxially* on a molecular level?

# The Concept: The Imidazole-PMMA Coaxial Hybrid

Imagine a standard coax geometry, but we completely re-engineer the layers:

1. **The Core:** A standard copper conductor carrying electrical power (Power over Coax).
2. **The Interface (The Secret Sauce):** A microscopic coating of **Imidazole** on the copper core.
3. **The Dielectric (The Data Highway):** Instead of standard PE or Teflon, we use optically pure **PMMA (Acrylic)**, which acts *simultaneously* as the electrical insulator AND a Plastic Optical Fiber (POF).

# Why the Chemistry Matters (The Imidazole Upgrade)

Normally, putting PMMA straight onto copper is a bad idea. Copper oxidizes, and PMMA doesn't stick well to smooth metal, leading to micro-gaps and light scattering during bending.

By adding **Imidazole**, we solve three industrial problems at once:

* **Antioxidant:** It forms a molecular film that protects the copper from oxidizing over time.
* **Molecular Coupling:** The nitrogen atoms in Imidazole complex with the copper, while the organic ring cross-links into the PMMA. It acts like molecular Velcro, creating a flawless, mirror-like optical boundary that won't delaminate when bent.
* **Thermal Stability:** It increases the heat resistance of the PMMA matrix, pushing its industrial limits past the usual 80°C.

# The Specs & Market Disruption

* **Data Rate:** Easily **10 to 40 Gbps** via the PMMA dielectric using modern modulation (PAM-4/DMT) over short-to-medium distances (up to 50m).
* **The "Utility Knife" Advantage:** Unlike glass fiber, this cable can be cut with a standard utility knife and terminated with cheap plastic click-on connectors. Installation costs drop by 80%.
* **EMI Immunity:** Absolute zero data corruption from electromagnetic fields (perfect for EV engine bays, robotics, or MRI machines) because the data travels as light.

# The Economics (B2B Goldmine?)

Raw PMMA is dirt cheap (\~$2.50/kg), and copper is standard. While precision extrusion tooling would be a high initial CapEx, the manufacturing cost per meter would likely sit around $1.00. Given the utility, B2B sectors (Automotive/Robotics) would easily pay $6.00–$12.00/meter because of the massive TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) savings on installation and weight.

# My Question to the Sub:

Am I missing something glaring here? Is the extrusion of optical-grade PMMA directly onto an imidazole-treated copper core too unstable at high production speeds? Why hasn't a company like Lapp or Leoni commercialized this exact coaxial fusion yet?

Let's discuss!



I think I just stumbled upon a patent-worthy hybrid coax cable design (Copper Core + Imidazole + PMMA Dielectric). Tell me why this wouldn’t work?