SBIR Phase II: Low Cost-Reduced Risk Manufacturing Process For Nanocoatings

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。这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目旨在降低制造用于涂料的纳米颗粒/树脂混合物的成本和风险。目前纳米涂层树脂的制造需要两个步骤；第一步是使用等离子体或其他能量密集型工艺生产涂层树脂的非原位纳米颗粒，第二步是将这些纳米粉末添加到涂层树脂中，通常是通过化学工艺和/或高能混合。这两种步骤的特点是成本高，环境影响大，或两者兼而有之。这种新工艺减少了制造步骤，降低了成本，避免了直接接触有害的纳米粉末。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过一步工艺为含有纳米颗粒的涂层/复合材料的开发创造了路线图。与现有流程相比，预计潜在的成本节约将达到25%或更多。预计涂层性能的增强是无法通过其他方式实现的。最重要的是，完全避免了吸入目前毒性未知的纳米颗粒粉末所造成的健康风险。这个项目最大的潜力是可能减少环境、健康和安全风险。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to reduce the cost and risk of manufacturing nanoparticle/resin blends for coatings. Currently nanocoating resin manufacturing requires two steps; the first is the production of nanoparticles ex-situ of the coating resin using plasma or other energy intensive processes, and the second step is the addition of these nanopowders into the coating resin, usually by chemical processes and/or high energy mixing. Both steps are characterized by high cost, high environmental impact, or both. This new process reduces manufacturing steps, lowers cost and avoids direct exposure to hazardous nanopowders. The broader impacts/commercial potential of this project is the creation of a roadmap for development of nanoparticle-containing coatings/composites by a one-step process. Potential cost savings are anticipated to be 25% or substantially more compared to existing processes. Coating performance enhancements not otherwise attainable are anticipated as well. Most importantly, health risks posed by inhalation of nanoparticulate powders, currently of unknown toxicity, are completely avoided. The largest potential of this project is the potential reduction of environmental, health and safety risks.