SBIR Phase II: Development of Advanced Composite Materials for Athletic Equipment

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目是为最终用户可成型的先进复合材料的工业制造开发规模化工艺，用于防护运动装备。目前，防护运动装备和配件必须使用工业制造技术生产，这具有很高的工具成本。因此，制造商生产的是小范围的预定尺寸和形状，而不是为最终用户提供定制的适合。在运动装备的情况下，有一个不断增长的市场，硬壳防护设备，可以定制成型，以更好地适合。聚酰亚胺聚合物和先进的复合材料提供了令人信服的强度和延展性的混合，以创造更多用户友好的轻量级和耐用的先进复合材料，可以由最终用户塑造。除了创造更多的用户定制之外，原生聚酰亚胺聚合物和包含聚酰亚胺的高级复合材料本质上都是可回收的，在闭环，低能耗，基于解决方案的系统中。美国复合材料市场总额为250亿美元，占全球复合材料市场的36%。聚酰亚胺聚合物和先进的复合衍生物将减少环境浪费，提高复合材料领域广泛垂直市场的制造效率，包括个人防护设备、航空航天、汽车和基础设施材料。这个项目的智力价值来自于聚酰亚胺聚合物独特化学的发展。聚合物大致可分为两类，热固性和热塑性塑料。由于塑料的化学特性，热固性塑料很坚固。然而，一旦固化，热固性材料就不能重塑。因此，热固性材料既不能修复，也不能有效地回收利用。相比之下，热塑性塑料比热固性塑料更弱，可以模塑和重塑。然而，重塑需要非常高的温度。聚酰亚胺聚合物是一类新型的可模塑和可重塑的热固性材料。重要的是，这些聚合物结合了高刚性和坚韧的机械性能与温和的成型温度。该二期研究项目将包括最终用户可成型复合材料的工业制造的规模化工艺，这些材料的厚度最大可达四分之一英寸，并符合肢体关节保护设备的行业标准。第二阶段的工作还将包括各种类型的材料和机械测试，在内部和认证的实验室进行，此外还将广泛努力证明其可制造性，以及试点生产。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is for the development of scaled processes for the industrial manufacture of end-user moldable advanced composite materials for use in protective athletic equipment. Currently, protective athletic equipment and accessories must be produced using industrial manufacturing techniques that have high tooling costs. As a result, manufacturers produce a small range of predetermined sizes and shapes, which do not provide a custom fit for end users. In the case of athletic gear, there is a growing market for hard-shell protective equipment which can be custom molded for a better fit. Polyimine polymers and advanced composites offer a compelling blend of strength and malleability in order to create more user-friendly lightweight and durable advanced composites that may be shaped by the end-user. In addition to creating greater user customization, both the virgin polyimine polymer, and advanced composites that incorporate polyimines, are intrinsically recyclable in a closed-loop, low-energy, solution-based system. The total U.S. composite materials market is $25 billion, representing 36% of the global composites sector. Polyimine polymers and advanced composite derivatives will reduce environmental waste and increase manufacturing efficiencies across a broad range of vertical markets in the composites sector including personal protective equipment, aerospace, automotive, and infrastructural materials.The intellectual merit of this project derives from the development of the unique chemistry of polyimine polymers. Polymers can be broadly grouped into two categories, thermosets and thermoplastics. Thermosets are strong due to the chemical characteristics of the plastic. However, once cured, thermosets cannot be reshaped. As a result, thermosets are neither repairable, nor are they efficiently recyclable. In contrast, thermoplastics, which are weaker than thermosets, may be molded and remolded. However, remolding requires very high temperatures. Polyimine polymers represent a new class of moldable and remoldable thermoset materials. Importantly, these polymers combine high rigidity and tough mechanical properties with mild molding temperatures. This Phase II research project will include scaled processes for the industrial manufacture of end user moldable composite materials that are a maximum of one-quarter inch in thickness and meet industry standards for limb joint protective equipment. The Phase II effort will also include a variety of types of material and mechanical testing, both in-house and at certified laboratories, in addition to extensive efforts at proving out manufacturability, as well as pilot production.