SBIR Phase I: Manufacturing High Performance Natural Fiber Composites for Structural Applications

SBIR 第一阶段：制造用于结构应用的高性能天然纤维复合材料

• 批准号: 1345804
• 负责人: Ralph Johnson
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: CetoTech, Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1345804&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Manufacturing; Performance; Natural

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is to demonstrate the feasibility of manufacturing high-strength and low-density natural fiber composites for structural applications in the construction and automotive industries using a preform compression molding process. The mechanical performance of current natural fiber composites is limited to non-load-bearing components in structures due to poor fiber/matrix interface and short fiber length limited by conventional manufacturing processes. To address this issue, this project will investigate an innovative high-throughput preform compression molding process using an air-laying deposition technique. The technical result of this program will enable the production of a new class of green composites to create sustainable building materials and light weight fuel efficient vehicles.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to produce natural fiber composites with adequate mechanical properties for structural applications in the construction and automotive industries for sustainable building materials and energy efficient vehicles. It is expected that high performance and less expensive natural fiber composite will quickly gain a considerable market share in the $20 billion building materials market and $162 million automotive interior panels market. In addition, this new class of sustainable composites will provide multiple broader impacts including 1) significant weight reductions for more fuel-efficient vehicles; 2) improved water- and UV-resistance over conventional materials for green buildings that optimize the indoor environmental quality with lower maintenance costs; 3) stronger building materials and safer vehicle panels due to the high vibration damping and impact resistance of these composites; 4) the use of renewable resources for sustainable materials production to achieve energy and environmental efficiency; and 5) potential Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) credits and/or tax rebates to end users.

该小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在展示使用预成型压缩成型工艺制造用于建筑和汽车行业结构应用的高强度和低密度天然纤维复合材料的可行性。由于传统制造工艺限制纤维/基体界面较差以及纤维长度较短，当前天然纤维复合材料的机械性能仅限于结构中的非承载部件。为了解决这个问题，该项目将研究一种使用气流沉积技术的创新高通量预成型压缩成型工艺。该项目的技术成果将能够生产新型绿色复合材料，以制造可持续建筑材料和轻质节能车辆。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是生产具有足够机械性能的天然纤维复合材料，用于建筑和汽车行业的结构应用，以实现可持续建筑材料和节能车辆。预计高性能且价格低廉的天然纤维复合材料将很快在200亿美元的建筑材料市场和1.62亿美元的汽车内饰板市场中获得相当大的市场份额。此外，这种新型可持续复合材料将产生多种更广泛的影响，包括1）显着减轻重量，提高燃油效率； 2) 与传统绿色建筑材料相比，具有更高的防水性和抗紫外线性，可优化室内环境质量并降低维护成本； 3）由于这些复合材料具有高振动阻尼和抗冲击性，因此建筑材料更坚固，车辆面板更安全； 4）利用可再生资源进行可持续材料生产，以实现能源和环境效率； 5) 向最终用户提供潜在的能源与环境设计领先 (LEED) 积分和/或退税。