SBIR Phase I: Manufacturing of Double-Walled Carbon Nanotube/Rigid Rod Polymer Advanced Structural Fibers

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将采用创新的加工技术，将高结晶超长双壁碳纳米管（DWCNTs）纳入聚对苯对苯二甲酸乙二胺（Kevlar）中，为我们的执法部门和士兵制备先进的防弹结构纤维，以及商用和军用飞机的结构材料。目前的结构纤维是由高取向的结晶聚合物或碳制成的。聚合物纤维非常坚韧，但其强度和刚度都被碳纤维超越，每种类型都有特定的应用。本研究的目的是利用高结晶的DWNT结合这些特性，制备具有高强度和高韧性的下一代结构纤维。该项目解决了限制纳米管-聚合物复合材料接近其理论性能的两个最重要的缺陷：负载传递，通过在目标聚合物中加入超过临界长度的超长功能化DWCNTs，以及纳米管对齐，通过在高度定向纺丝过程之前将纳米管加入聚合物中。本研究的预期结果是开发出超过现有聚合物纤维韧性和碳纤维强度的结构纤维。如果该项目成功，其更广泛的影响/商业潜力是超高强度结构纤维的可用性和大规模生产，其成本比传统纤维增加最少。这对个人和车辆的弹道保护产生了直接影响，为人员和车辆提供了机动性；在商业航空航天工业中，随着燃料的成本和可用性不断影响着这一领域，重量变得越来越重要。通过这项研究开发的技术将加强对碳纳米管的物理和表面特性如何影响聚合物性能的科学和技术理解，不仅适用于纤维，也适用于全聚合物复合材料。第一阶段的团队包括研究机构、制造商和最终用户，他们准备将一个成功的项目从实验室带入生产和商业化。如果成功，该技术将对执法和维和任务产生重大影响，为人员提供更高的机动性和更好的保护，以便成功执行任务，同时可能挽救许多生命。商业影响将是这种材料用于结构材料和装甲，提供更轻的重量，更高的功能飞机和军用车辆，节省工业和军事资金和材料。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will employ innovative processing technologies to incorporate highly crystalline ultra-long double wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) into poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (Kevlar) to prepare advanced structural fibers for ballistic protection for our law enforcement and soldiers, and structural materials for commercial and military aircraft. Current structural fibers are made from highly oriented, crystalline polymers or carbon. The polymer fibers are very tough, but their strength and stiffness is surpassed by carbon fibers, and each type has defined niche applications. The objective of this research is to utilize highly crystalline DWNT to combine these properties and prepare next-generation structural fibers with both high strength and toughness. This project addresses two of the most important deficiencies that have been limiting nanotube-polymer composites from approaching their theoretical properties: load transfer, by incorporating ultralong functionalized DWCNTs longer than the critical length in the target polymer, and nanotube alignment, by incorporating the nanotubes into the polymer prior to the highly orienting spinning process. The anticipated result of this research is the development of structural fibers that exceed the toughness of present polymer fibers and the strength of carbon fibers.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project, if successful, is the availability and mass production of ultra-high strength structural fibers with minimal cost increase over conventional fibers. This gives immediate impact in personal and vehicle ballistic protection affording mobility to personnel and vehicles; and in the commercial aerospace industry in which weight is becoming more of a premium as the cost and availability of fuel continues to impact this sector. The technology developed through this research will enhance scientific and technological understanding of how the physical and surface properties of carbon nanotubes affect the performance of polymers, not just for fibers but also in all-polymer composites. The Phase I team includes research institutions, manufacturers and end-users that are poised to take a successful program from the laboratory into production and commercialization. If successful, the technology will substantially impact law enforcement and peacekeeping missions, affording personnel higher mobility and better protection in order to successfully execute their duties, while potentially saving many lives. The commercial impact will be the use of this material for structural materials and armor, affording lighter weight, higher functionality aircraft and military vehicles, saving industry and the military money and materials.