SBIR Phase II: Leveraging Z-axis Milled Fiber to Enhance the Performance, Economics and Sustainability of Carbon Fiber for High-Volume Applications

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为消费电子产品，飞机内饰和大众市场汽车开发高性能，经济和可持续的碳纤维材料和相关加工技术。在目前的工艺中，大约30%的碳纤维通常在制造过程中被废弃。到2024年，估计将有5万吨原始碳纤维被废弃并在垃圾填埋场处理。该技术将从废弃纤维中提取价值，并防止处理，与目前商用的碳纤维产品相比，成本降低高达25%。这项技术为这种先进材料创造了更高的使用率和新的机会。这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将支持开发一种利用低成本和可持续的铣削碳纤维的高性能复合材料。 一种工业卷对卷生产工艺将用于复合原生碳纤维与碾磨纤维。 这些再生纤维使用一种专有技术沿Z轴定向，该技术改编自最初为制造热固性产品而开发的工业工艺。 拟议项目将开发一种市场上现成的热塑性产品，具有密集的Z轴增强，同时保留关键的面内特性。该奖项反映了NSF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。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the development of a high-performance, economic, and sustainable carbon fiber material and associated processing technology for consumer electronics, aircraft interiors, and mass market automobiles. In current processes, roughly 30% of carbon fiber is typically scrapped during manufacturing. By 2024, an estimated 50,000 metric tons of virgin carbon fiber will be scrapped and disposed in landfills. The proposed technology will extract value from scrapped fiber and prevent disposal, offering up to 25% cost reduction compared with carbon fiber products commercially available today. This technology creates higher usage and new opportunities for this advanced material.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will support the development of a high-performance composite that utilizes low-cost and sustainable milled carbon fiber. An industrial roll-to-roll production process will be used to compound virgin carbon fiber with milled fiber. These reclaimed fibers are oriented in the Z-axis using a proprietary technology adapted from an industrial process originally developed to make thermoset products. The proposed project will develop a market-ready thermoplastic product with dense Z-axis reinforcement while retaining key in-plane properties. This new thermoplastic product will be targeted towards translation to high-volume consumer electronics, aircraft interiors, and automotive applications.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.