SBIR Phase IB: Coconut (Coir) Fiber Automotive Composites

摘要本小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将证明用更环保的椰子纤维基织物复合材料取代用于汽车行李箱衬里的聚丙烯/聚酯复合材料的可行性。与目前使用的合成的石油基聚酯纤维相比，由椰子壳生产的环境友好的椰子纤维具有纤维直径、强度、刚度和延展性的上级组合，使得可以生产更环保、成本更低的行李箱衬里、门板和地板。由椰子纤维和聚丙烯纤维的压缩模塑共混物制成的工程复合材料的初步结果非常有希望，但需要进行额外的研究以开发（1）椰子纤维和聚丙烯纤维的最佳组合，（2）纤维之间的界面粘合，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/规格测试。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200万至400万桶石油消费，每年可能减少45万吨二氧化碳排放。有超过1000万贫困的椰子农民（年收入约500美元）拥有全球每年收获的95%的椰子。大约85%的含有椰子纤维的椰子壳被燃烧，因为对这种生物质的需求不足。椰子纤维基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。

Abstract 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.