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

这个可扩展的纳米制造项目将开发新的基础知识和制造科学，将气相纤维表面改性技术从小批量过渡到完全连续的制造原型。纺织品、非织造布和其他天然和合成纤维基材料在全球范围内生产，每天影响着数十亿人的生活。虽然普通纺织品的成本非常低，但高性能和“智能”非织造布和纺织品领域正在迅速发展。例如，新型电纺纳米纤维和工程非织造布被用于电池分离器、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。在这些应用中，纳米级表面结构是实现目标功能和性能的关键。因此，在纳米尺度上修饰、调节和控制纤维材料表面化学的新制造工艺将对许多新兴产品领域产生巨大影响。实验室规模的演示表明，气相原子层沉积（ALD）和相关的分子层沉积（MLD）提供了新的和非常有前途的纳米级能力，以高精度，一致性和均匀性涂覆和修饰复杂纤维，具有重要的新产品潜力。对于透水基板材料（气体可以穿过被涂覆的材料），连续ALD工艺的需求与固体或其他不透水表面的ALD工艺不同。该项目将设计、评估并迭代改进用于纤维基板材料的连续卷对卷ALD工具。成功的成果将包括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促进对扩展纳米尺度材料和制造技术的新理解的需求，以实现低成本功能性产品所需的尺寸和量级。工作还将产生实验室规模的工艺演示，可能吸引对工艺扩展的兴趣，以创造改善健康、安全和清洁能源生产的新产品。其他更广泛的影响包括纳米材料、材料加工和反应缩放方面的博士生教育。该项目还将扩大与K-12学生和教师的联系，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.