Planning Grant: I/UCRC for Center for Tire Research - UNT Site Initiative - Sustainalbe Technologies of Tires

北德克萨斯大学（UNT）正在寻求与目前资助的由弗吉尼亚理工大学（牵头机构）和阿克伦大学组成的美国国家科学基金会工业/大学轮胎研究合作研究中心（I/UCRC）建立一个研究基地。UNT研究基地将重点研究橡胶和轮胎的可持续技术，包括燃料效率、废轮胎的回收利用、用生物制品制成的轮胎材料。UNT网站将开展一项合作研究，其特点是高度杠杆化和汇集研究计划，包括研究生，教师研究人员和行业专业工程师。研究重点将提供解决方案，以显着提高该行业的产量，并有助于其经济竞争力。在UNT建立新的研究基地将进一步扩展现有轮胎研究中心的能力，并增强UNT向达拉斯/沃斯堡（DFW）地区附近的许多行业赞助商敞开大门的能力，以及从其他联邦和州机构获得资金的能力。在UNT网站上设想的轮胎可持续发展的研究课题将有利于社会减少轮胎对环境的负面影响。该中心将计划为研究生和教师提供一个进行行业相关研究的技术平台，建立有效的协作机制，并将有助于促进、催化和加速创新技术的商业化。

The University of North Texas (UNT) is seeking to establish a research site joining with the currently funded NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Tire Research (CenTIRE) comprised of Virginia Tech (lead institution) and the University of Akron. The UNT research site will focus on sustainable technologies of rubbers and tires including fuel efficiency, recycling of scrap tires, and tire materials with bio-products. The UNT site will conduct a cooperative research that features a highly leveraged and pooled research program that includes graduate students, faculty researchers and industry professional engineers. The research thrusts will provide solutions to significantly improve the industrys yield and contribute to its economic competitiveness. The establishment of new research site at UNT will further extend the capability of the current Center for Tire Research, and enhance UNT's ability to open doors to many industry sponsors near the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) area, as well as obtain funding from other federal and state agencies. The envisioned research topics on sustainability of tires at the UNT site will benefit society for reducing the negative environmental effects of tires. The proposed center site will plan to provide graduate students and faculty with a technology platform to conduct industry-relevant research, establish an effective mechanism for collaboration, and will help promote, catalyze, and accelerate the commercialization of innovative technologies.