SNM: Continuous Vapor-Phase Processes for Nano-Functional Fibrous Materials Manufacturing

CBET 1334618PI：Parsons这个可伸缩的纳米制造项目将发展新的基础理解和制造科学，将汽相纤维表面改性技术从小批量规模转变为完全连续的制造原型。纺织品、非织造布和其他以天然和合成纤维为基础的材料在世界各地生产，每天影响着数十亿人的生活。虽然普通纺织品的成本可能非常低，但高性能和“智能”的非织造布和纺织品领域正在迅速发展。例如，新的电纺纳米纤维和工程非织造布被用于电池隔膜、高度耐用的气溶胶过滤、生物医学植入物、细胞生长支架和土工合成材料。对于这些应用中的大多数，纳米级的表面结构是实现目标功能和能力的关键。因此，在纳米尺度上对纤维材料的表面化学进行修饰、调节和控制的新的制造工艺将在许多新兴产品领域产生巨大的影响。实验室验证表明，气相原子层沉积(ALD)和相关的分子层沉积(MLD)提供了一种新的、非常有前途的纳米级能力，可以高精度、整齐和均匀地对复杂纤维进行涂层和改性，具有重要的新产品的潜力。连续的ALD工艺需要透气的衬底材料(气体可以通过被涂覆的物品)，与固体或其他不透水表面的ALD不同。该项目将设计、评估和反复改进一种用于纤维基材的连续辊对辊流动ALD工具。成功的成果将包括在ALD反应器设计、利用和表面反应分析方面的新研究成果。该项目的智力价值包括有助于在将纳米材料和制造技术扩展到实现低成本功能产品所需的尺寸和大小方面有新的理解需求。这项工作还将产生实验室规模的工艺演示，可能会吸引人们对工艺扩展的兴趣，以创造出改善健康、安全和清洁能源发电的新产品。其他更广泛的影响包括对博士生进行纳米材料、材料加工和反应缩放方面的教育。该项目还将扩大到K-12学生和教师，并将寻求为代表性不足的群体提供参与研究和传播活动的机会。

CBET 1334618PI: Parsons This Scalable Nanomanufacturing project will develop new fundamental understanding and manufacturing science needed to transition vapor-phase fiber surface modification technology from small-batch scale to a fully continuous manufacturing prototype. Textiles, nonwovens and other natural and synthetic fiber-based materials are manufactured world-wide and impact the lives of billions of people every day. While common textiles can be very low cost, the field of high-performance and "smart" nonwovens and textiles is evolving rapidly. For example, new electrospun nanofibers and engineered nonwovens are used for battery separators, highly durable aerosol filtration, bio-medical implants, cell growth scaffolds and geosynthetics. For most of these applications, the nano-scale surface structure is critical to achieve the targeted function and capability. Therefore, new manufacturing processes that modify, adjust and control the surface chemistry of fibrous materials at the nanometer scale will have tremendous impact in many emerging product areas. Lab-scale demonstrations show that vapor-phase atomic layer deposition (ALD) and related molecular layer deposition (MLD) provide new and highly promising nano-scale capability to coat and modify complex fibers with high precision, conformality and uniformity, with potential for significant new products. Continuous ALD process needs for pervious substrate materials (where gases can pass through the item being coated) are distinct from those for ALD on solid or other impermeable surfaces. The project will design, evaluate and iteratively improve a continuous roll-to-roll flow-through ALD tool for fibrous substrate materials. Successful outcome will include new research result in ALD reactor design, utilization and surface reaction analysis. The intellectual merit of this project includes contributing to the demand for new understanding in extending nanoscale materials and fabrication techniques to dimensions and magnitude needed to realize low-cost functional products. Work will also yield lab-scale process demonstrations that could attract interest for process scaling, to create new products for improved health, safety and clean energy generation. Additional broader impacts include the education of PhD students in nanoscale materials, materials processing and reaction scaling. The project will also expand outreach to K-12 students and teachers, and it will seek to provide opportunities for underrepresented groups to participate in research and dissemination activity.