SBIR Phase II: Bamboo Fiber Processing for Use in Reinforced Composites

SBIR 第二阶段：用于增强复合材料的竹纤维加工

• 批准号: 1430777
• 负责人: William Riddle
• 金额: $ 75万
• 依托单位: Sunstrand, LLC
• 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: 2014-08-01 至 2018-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1430777&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; Bamboo; Fiber

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will eliminate remaining barriers to the production of bamboo fibers for use as a reinforcement in polymer composites. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be an increased usage of sustainable materials, increased revenue for US agriculture, and increased domestic and international sales of a new and innovative product line. Success in this project will also lead to domestic job creation needed to support the research, manufacturing, and sales of these composites. The processes to be finalized during this Phase II project will support the growth of a nascent based on US-manufactured, environmentally-friendly products. Within three years of launch, it is expected that over $4 million in revenue will be generated by sales of bamboo fiber. Moreover, increases in bamboo cultivation as a result of these new products will help mitigate adverse environmental impacts and improve public health. This will be done by the inherent sequestration of carbon dioxide in the plant growth cycle, and a reduction in the pollution associated with the use of high-energy glass fiber and plastics processing techniques.This Phase II project will address the following research topics: species variations, manufacturability, additional high value products, additional composite properties, processing and treatment optimization, and commercial scale-up. The team will assess the mechanical and physical implications of variations in feedstock by the use of filament tensile testing. Surface treatments specific to bamboo fibers will be finalized, with the goal of increased fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion, mitigation of water absorption, and compatibility with at least three major resins systems. These treatments will be evaluated via composite tensile testing, filament testing and water immersion testing. Manufacturing studies will be performed to verify compatibility with commercial scale manufacturing equipment. The design and manufacture of a small scale, batch plant will address technological and automation challenges. This plant will provide a bridge to a commercial-scale plant designed to produce 6 million pounds of fiber yearly. Additional innovative aspects to the project lie in the assessment of a bamboo species compatible with climates in the US, automation of raw bamboo processing, and implementation of a fully optimized multi-step material functionalization process.

这个小企业创新研究第二阶段项目将消除竹纤维生产的剩余障碍，用于聚合物复合材料的增强。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是增加可持续材料的使用，增加美国农业的收入，并增加新的创新产品线的国内和国际销售。 该项目的成功还将为支持这些复合材料的研究、制造和销售创造必要的国内就业机会。在第二阶段项目期间完成的流程将支持基于美国制造的环保产品的新兴产品的增长。在推出后的三年内，预计竹纤维的销售将产生超过400万美元的收入。 此外，由于这些新产品而增加的竹子种植将有助于减轻对环境的不利影响并改善公众健康。这将通过植物生长周期中固有的二氧化碳封存，以及减少与使用高能玻璃纤维和塑料加工技术相关的污染来实现。该二期项目将解决以下研究主题：物种变化，可制造性，附加高价值产品，附加复合材料性能，加工和处理优化以及商业规模扩大。该团队将通过使用长丝拉伸测试来评估原料变化的机械和物理影响。针对竹纤维的表面处理将最终完成，目标是增加纤维基质界面粘合力，减轻吸水性，并与至少三种主要树脂系统兼容。 这些处理将通过复合材料拉伸试验、长丝试验和水浸试验进行评价。 将进行生产研究，以验证与商业规模生产设备的兼容性。设计和制造一个小规模的间歇式工厂将解决技术和自动化的挑战。 该工厂将为一个商业规模的工厂提供桥梁，该工厂每年生产600万磅纤维。 该项目的其他创新方面在于评估与美国气候相容的竹种，原竹加工的自动化以及实施完全优化的多步材料功能化过程。