STTR Phase II: High-Strength Low-Cost Fiber Via Multi-Component Nanofiber (MCN) Spinning

这个小型企业技术转移研究(STTR)第二阶段项目的总体目标是开发一种多组分熔融纺丝方法，使用标准的低成本聚合物生产新的高性能纤维系列。新的高强度和/或高模数聚合物纤维将使用尖端但商业上可用的纺丝技术和一套创新的、以前从未探索过的纺丝工艺参数来制造。由此产生的新纤维将在性能上与目前市场上的其他高性能纤维相媲美，但成本将大幅降低。纺纱实验将在实验室/试验台规模和试点生产线水平上进行。将对实验纤维纺丝生产线进行改造，以实现一致的纤维生产。我们将使用各种工具(聚焦离子束、扫描和透射电子显微镜、X射线、拉伸、侧向压缩、密度、差示扫描量热仪和动态力学分析)对生产出的纤维进行表征，以了解导致强度和/或硬度提高的新机制。实现这些机构的纺纱条件将进行优化，以满足目标强度和/或刚度目标。还将研究引入抗紫外线添加剂和/或其他特定用途组件的可能性，以及对性能的任何相应影响。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力基于实现新纤维的性能目标，即韧性为15gf/Denier和/或初始模数为400gf/Denier或更高。考虑到低成本大批量生产的预期能力，这些新纤维的成本将接近标准高强度工业纤维(约7美元/磅)，而芳酰胺和高性能聚乙烯(HPPE)等特种高性能纤维的典型成本为20美元/磅。新纤维产品的设计性能将高于目前的高强度工业纤维(HT聚酯和尼龙)，但低于目前的特种高性能纤维(芳纶、HPPE)。这些纤维成本的降低将在各种应用中带来更低的成本，这将造福社会(例如，通过更多的抗切割服装和其他安全/保护设备的普及)。除了这些经济效益外，拟议的工作还将提供对纳米纤维的广泛表征，这将有助于对聚合物纤维结构和行为的科学理解。

This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase II project has the overall objective of developing a multi-component melt spinning approach to produce a new family of high performance fibers using standard low-cost polymers. The new high-strength and/or high-modulus polymeric fiber is to be made using cutting-edge but commercially available spinning technology and an innovative and previously unexplored set of spinning process parameters. The resulting new fiber will be comparable in performance to other high-performance fibers on the market today, but will cost significantly less. Spinning experiments will be conducted at both the laboratory/bench scale, and at the pilot line level. Experimental fiber spinning lines will be modified to enable consistent fiber manufacturing. Produced fibers will be characterized using a variety of tools (focused ion beam, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray, tensile, lateral compression, density, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis) to understand the new mechanisms that lead to improved strength and/or stiffness. The spinning conditions which enable these mechanisms will be optimized to meet target strength and/or stiffness goals. The possibility of introducing UV-resistant additives and/or other application-specific components, and any corresponding effects on performance, will also be studied. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is based on achieving a performance goal for the new fibers of tenacity 15 gf/denier and/or an initial modulus of 400 gf/denier or greater. Given the anticipated capability for low-cost high-volume production, these new fibers will have a cost approaching that of standard high tenacity industrial fibers (~ $7/lb) as compared to the typical $20/lb for specialty high performance fibers such as aramids and high-performance polyethylene (HPPE). The new fiber products will be designed to have a performance above current high-tenacity industrial fibers (HT polyester and nylon) but below current specialty high-performance fibers (aramids, HPPE). The reduced cost for these fibers will result in lower costs over a variety of applications, which will benefit society (for example, by the greater proliferation of cut-resistant apparel and other safety/protective devices). In addition to these economic benefits, the proposed work will provide extensive characterization of nano-scale fibers that will contribute to the scientific understanding of polymeric fiber structure and behavior.