CREST Center for Sustainable Lightweight Materials (C-SLAM)

CREST可持续轻质材料中心科技卓越研究中心（CREST）计划通过建立有效整合教育和研究的中心，支持增强少数民族服务机构的研究能力。CREST促进新知识的发展，提高个别教师的研究生产力，并扩大历史上在科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）学科中代表性不足的学生的存在。在CREST计划的支持下，塔斯基吉大学将继续与奥本大学、康奈尔大学和国家实验室合作伙伴合作开发其可持续轻质材料中心。这项工作将加速多尺度先进轻质材料的研究和开发，这些材料可能应用于汽车、建筑、生物医学和组织工程等领域，其中合成材料被发现是有毒的、不可降解的和不可持续的。该中心阐述了三个研究重点：（1）纳米生物材料提取，（2）生物聚合物设计和合成，（3）先进的绿色复合材料。 所有三个研究方向的目的是获得可持续轻质先进材料的新兴领域的基本理解。子项目1的活动包括从稻壳、骨灰和鱼鳞等废弃资源中合成各种纳米材料，从植物中提取各种形式的纤维素和木质素，以及生产纳米纤维。分项目2包括从木质纤维素生物质合成生物聚合物，从农业和食品加工废物中开发具有优异热和机械性能的树脂。分项目3的活动重点是通过使用植物纤维、液晶纤维和细菌纤维素开发先进的绿色复合材料。此外，先进复合材料的耐久性和增韧特性将通过自主自修复聚合物和复合材料、增韧纤维和树脂的开发而得到增强。该中心将加强塔斯基吉大学的STEM研究和教育，产生新的知识，加强教师的研究竞争力，促进塔斯基吉大学内部和与合作伙伴研究中心的跨学科合作。中心的活动将加强塔斯基吉大学的研发企业和基础设施，使其在可持续轻质先进材料的新兴领域具有全国竞争力。知识产权将导致可获得专利的产品和工艺的创造。传统上在STEM学科中代表性不足的学生将在易于使用的先进研究设施中获得有意义的研究经验，并获得博士学位程序.该中心的活动将提供教育和研究的整合和接触，从中学到博士水平的学生，并向公众，包括残疾人。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

CREST Center for Sustainable Lightweight MaterialsThe Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program supports the enhancement of research capabilities of minority-serving institutions through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate education and research. CREST promotes the development of new knowledge, enhancements of the research productivity of individual faculty, and an expanded presence of students historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. With CREST program support, Tuskegee University will continue development of its Center for Sustainable Lightweight Materials in collaboration with Auburn University, Cornell University and National Laboratory partners. This work will accelerate research and development of multiscale advanced lightweight materials with potential applications in areas such as automotive, building, biomedical and tissue engineering, among others, where synthetic materials are found to be toxic, non-degradable and non-sustainable. The Center articulates three research thrusts: (1) Nanobiomaterials Extraction, (2) Biopolymers Design and Synthesis, and (3) Advanced Green Composites. The aim of all three research thrusts is to gain fundamental understanding of the emerging field of sustainable lightweight advanced materials. Activities in Subproject 1 include synthesis of a variety of nanomaterials from waste resources like rice husk, bone ash, and fish scales, extraction of cellulose in various forms and lignin from plants, and production of nanofibers. Subproject 2 includes synthesis of biopolymers from lignocellulosic biomass, development of resins with excellent thermal and mechanical properties from agricultural and food processing wastes. Subproject 3 activities focus on development of advanced green composites through use of plant fibers, fibers from liquid crystalline and bacterial cellulose. In addition, durability and toughening characteristics of advanced composites will be enhanced through development of autonomously self-healing polymers and composites, toughened fibers and resins. The Center will enhance STEM research and education at Tuskegee University, produce new knowledge, strengthen the research competitiveness of faculty and promote interdisciplinary collaborations within Tuskegee University and with partner research centers. Center activities will enhance the research and development enterprise and infrastructure at Tuskegee University, making it nationally competitive in the emerging field of sustainable lightweight advanced materials. Intellectual property will lead to the creation of patentable products and processes.Students, traditionally underrepresented in the STEM disciplines, will be provided with meaningful research experiences at a readily accessible advanced research facility and a pathway to Ph.D. programs. Center activities will provide education and research integration and exposure to students from middle school to the doctoral level, and to the general public, including persons with disabilities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.