SBIR Phase I: Coconut (Coir) Fiber Automotive Composites

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）一期项目将展示用更环保的椰子纤维基复合材料取代用于汽车后备箱衬垫的聚丙烯/聚酯复合材料的可行性。这种由椰子壳制成的环保椰子纤维，与目前使用的合成石油基聚酯纤维相比，具有纤维直径、强度、刚度和延展性的优越组合，使其能够生产更环保、成本更低的干线衬垫、门板和地板。由椰子纤维和聚丙烯纤维的压缩成型混合物制成的工程复合材料的初步结果非常有希望，但需要进一步的研究来开发最佳的(1)椰子纤维和聚丙烯纤维的组合，(2)纤维之间的界面粘附性，以及(3)加工路径（温度、压力和时间），以满足通用汽车和其他汽车公司的汽车认证/规范测试。椰子纤维汽车复合材料的总市场潜力为3亿公斤/年。这项研究的更广泛影响包括每年减少石油消费量200万至400万桶，每年可能减少二氧化碳排放量45万吨。有超过1000万贫穷的椰子农（年收入约500美元），他们拥有全世界每年收获的95%的椰子。由于对这种生物质的需求不足，大约85%含有椰子纤维的椰子壳被烧毁。椰子纤维为基础的汽车复合材料的成功开发可以为这些农民提供额外的1亿至2亿美元的年收入。该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of replacing polypropylene/polyester composite materials used for automobile trunk liners with more environmentally friendly coconut fiber based fabric composites. The environmentally friendly coconut fibers, produced from coconut husks, have a superior combination of fiber diameter, strength, stiffness, and ductility compared to synthetic, petroleum based polyester fibers currently used, making it possible to produce greener, lower cost trunk liners, door panels and floor boards. Preliminary results on an engineered composite material made from a compression molded blend of coconut fibers and polypropylene fibers are very promising, but additional research is needed to develop the optimal (1) combination of coconut fibers and polypropylene fibers, (2) interfacial adhesion between fibers, and (3) processing path (temperature, pressure and time) to meet the automotive certification/specification tests for General Motors and other automotive companies. The total market potential for coconut fiber automotive composites is 300 million kg/year.The broader impacts of this research include the reduction of petroleum consumption by 2-4 million barrels per year and the potential reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 450,000 tons per year. There are over 10 million poor coconut farmers (income ~ $500/year) who own 95% of the coconuts harvested annually worldwide. Approximately 85% of the coconut husks, which contain the coconut fiber, are burned because there is insufficient demand for this biomass. The successful development of coconut fiber based automotive composites could provide an additional $100-$200 million of annual income for these farmers.This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).