STTR Phase I: Nanofiber Fabrication vis Melt Coextrusion for Fuel Filter Membranes

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目致力于生产以前无法加工的聚合物复合纤维材料，旨在通过对聚合物纤维进行环境友好的熔融共挤出加工来改善膜和燃料过滤应用的性能。这种熔融工艺策略为制造纳米纤维提供了一个独特的机会，这种纳米纤维通常由许多溶剂型技术加工。这一拟议的STTR计划将展示通过无溶剂制造工艺处理新型复合、微米和纳米层纤维材料，该工艺能够以比当前最先进的制造方法潜在更低的生产成本进行连续的大规模生产和薄膜形成。聚合物分层共挤出工艺的独特能力使不同的聚合物材料能够结合在一起，创造出具有特定尺寸和长径比、疏水性和亲水性的复合多纤维。通过概念验证制造和熔融加工聚合物纤维的优化试验，该项目将展示这些材料能够填补易于加工、可定制的疏水/亲水纤维材料的空白，这些材料适合用于每年125亿美元的膜市场，特别是燃料滤膜。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力包括在膜和过滤行业的初步应用。预计在医学和生物学领域的其他应用是细胞培养、组织工程和药物输送平台的支架。机械坚固、高度定向的纤维系统也可用于服装和包装。新的纳米纤维制造方法将创造一种可扩展的工艺，这有可能在美国创造就业机会。由于这是一种无溶剂工艺，这项技术对环境友好，因此将减少碳足迹和产品成本。该项目还将通过广泛使用合作社进行研究，为工科大学生的教育做出贡献。这些学生将从大学招聘，为期4至12个月，用于这个项目。此外，该项目还为地区大学的研究生提供了一个独特的机会，让他们与研发公司合作，获得宝贵的经验。这有力地支持了NSF发展美国科学和工程劳动力的使命。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is geared toward the production of previously unprocessible polymer composite fiber materials aimed at improving performance in membrane and fuel filtering applications through environmentally friendly melt coextrusion processing of polymer fibers. This melt process strategy offers a unique opportunity to fabricate nanofibers that is typically processed by many solvent-based techniques. This proposed STTR program will demonstrate processing of novel composite, micro- and nanolayered fiber materials via a solvent-free fabrication process capable of continuous mass production and membrane formation at a potentially lower production cost than the current state-of-the art manufacturing methods. The unique ability of the polymer layering coextrusion process enables the combination of dissimilar polymer materials, creating composite multifibers of specific size and aspect ratio, hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity. Through proof-of-concept fabrication and optimization trials to melt process the polymer fibers, this project will demonstrate the ability of these materials to fill the void of easily processible, tailorable hydrophobic/hydrophilic fiber materials that are suitable for use in the $12.5 billion/year membrane market, specifically for fuel filter membranes.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes initial applications in the membrane and filtration industry. Other applications expected in the field of medicine and biology are scaffolds for cell culture, tissue engineering, and drug delivery platform. Mechanically robust, highly oriented fibrous systems can also be used for clothing and packaging. Novel nanofiber fabrication approach will create a scalable process, which has a potential to create jobs in the United States. Because it is a solvent-free process, this technology is environmentally friendly and, therefore, will reduce carbon footprint and product cost. This program will also contribute to the education of engineering college students through the extensive use of co-op conducting research. The students will be hired from universities for varied duration of 4 to 12 months for this project. In addition, this STTR program also offers a unique opportunity to graduate students from area Universities to work with R&D companies and earn valuable experience. This strongly supports the NSF mission of developing the U.S. science and engineering workforce.