Research Catalyst: Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) of Composites using Bio-fiber Reinforcements Infused with Thermoplastic Bio-resins

研究催化剂项目为历史上的黑人学院和大学提供支持，以建立教师的研究能力，加强科学、技术、工程和数学本科教育和研究。预计该奖项将进一步提高教师的研究能力，提高学院的研究和教学水平，并让本科生参与研究经验。Prairie View a&m大学的这个项目专注于开发3D打印技术来制造生物纤维增强复合材料；并为本科生提供了一个通过研究经验来提高他们的教育的机会。该研究人员与伦斯勒理工学院的教师建立了强有力的合作关系。本研究的目标是利用层压对象制造（LOM）技术快速成型由生物纤维增强和生物树脂基体制成的层压生物复合材料部件，该部件可作为传统的、不可生物降解的先进复合材料部件的环保替代品，用于工业原型/制造应用。将设计并制造一台功能性LOM 3D打印机，该打印机使用由精选的编织生物纤维和部分固化的生物树脂制成的生物预浸料作为LOM工艺的起始工作材料。这个过程将包括实验设计，工作材料组成的优化，单个过程结果的比较，制造和装配的设计，以及闭环控制理论的实现。3D打印生物部件的质量将根据其几何精度和机械性能进行评估，并将其与原始输入模型以及由其他常见快速成型技术和材料制成的3D打印部件进行比较。这项研究旨在使用100%可生物降解的复合材料进行快速原型制作，以达到与常规3D打印策略相似或更好的零件质量结果，并减少该过程的碳足迹。在快速成型过程中使用可生物降解材料的想法也将成为未来“绿色”制造过程发展的优秀指南。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Research Catalyst projects provide support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities to work towards establishing research capacity of faculty to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics undergraduate education and research. It is expected that the award will further the faculty member's research capability, improve research and teaching at the institution, and involve undergraduate students in research experiences. This project at Prairie View A&M University focuses on developing 3D printing technology to manufacture bio-fiber reinforced composite materials; and provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to enhance their education through research experiences. The researcher has established a strong collaboration with faculty at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute. The goal of this research is to utilize the laminated object manufacturing (LOM) technology for rapid prototyping laminated bio-composite parts that are made from bio-fiber reinforcements and bio-resin matrix, which can be used as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional, non-biodegradable advanced composite parts in industrial prototyping/manufacturing applications. A functional LOM 3D printer will be designed and built, which uses bio-prepregs made from selected woven bio-fiber and bio-resin that is partially cured as starting work materials for the LOM process. This process will involve the design of experiments, optimization of work material composition, individual process result comparisons, design for manufacturing and assembly, as well as closed-loop control theory implementations. The qualitites of 3D printed bio-parts will be assessed based on their geometric accuracies and mechanical properties, which will be compared to the original input model, as well as 3D printed parts made from other common rapid prototyping technologies and materials. This research seeks to use 100% biodegradable composite materials for rapid prototyping purposes to achieve similar or better part quality results than regular 3D printing strategies, as well as reduce the carbon footprint of the process. The idea of using biodegradable materials for rapid prototyping processes will also act as an excellent guide for 'green' manufacturing process developments in the future.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.