SBIR Phase I: Development of High Efficiency NanoFilter Media

这项小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目提案侧重于提供生产电纺纳米纤维纳米棒的可行性演示，并将其与传统过滤介质相结合，形成用于特定过滤应用的新型纳米过滤介质。这些应用非常适合于解决从流出物中去除小于3微米的颗粒物的问题，而纳米颗粒在捕获亚微米颗粒物方面的更高效率也非常吸引人的成本考虑。最初，纳米纤维将从尼龙6的甲酸溶液中电纺丝，并直接铺设在传统的支撑过滤介质上作为纳米棒。通过改变纤维直径、纤维取向、纤维在纳米棒中的堆积分数和纳米棒厚度，可以很容易地定制纤网结构以实现所需的复合过滤性能。该项目将由ESpin Technologies合作实施，这是一家总部位于田纳西州查塔努加的小型高科技初创公司，专门提供定制的电纺纳米纤维，学术中心和大公司是其合作伙伴。他们共同拥有在这项资助下成功开展工作所需的技能和设施。未来几年开发的纳米技术将成为重要的商业平台的基础。该业务将成为纳米纤维技术的主要供应商，该技术具有在各种领域的商业应用潜力，包括过滤：工业过滤器、生物分离、超纯空气和水系统、下一代洁净室、农业和食品工业以及微电子工业。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposal focuses on providing a feasibilitydemonstration of producing electrospun nanowebs of nanofibers, and combining them with conventionalfilter media to form novel NanoFilter media for specific filtration applications. These applications are wellsuited to address the problems of removal of particles smaller than 3 microns from effluent streams -wheresuperior efficiency of nanowebs in capturing sub-micron particles is very attractive for cost considerationsas well. Initially, the nanofibers will be electrospun from a solution of Nylon 6 in formic acid and laid directly on to a conventional support filter media as a nanoweb. The web architecture will be easily tailored to achieve the desired composite filter performance by varying fiber diameter, fiber orientation, fiber packing fraction within the nanoweb, and the nanoweb thickness. This project will be carried out collaboratively by eSpin Technologies, a small, high-technology start-up company based in Chattanooga, TN, and specializing in providing custom-made electrospun nanofibers, with academic centers and major corporations as its partners. Together they possess the skills and facilities needed to successfully carry out the work under this grant.Nanotechnologies developed in the coming years will form the foundation of significant commercialplatforms. This business will be a key supplier of nanofiber technology which have the potential forcommercial applications in a variety of fields including, filtration: industrial filters, biological separations,ultra pure air and water systems, next generation clean rooms, agriculture and food industries, andmicroelectronic industries.