SBIR Phase II: Manufacturing Feasibility of New Radiation Shielding Fabrics

SBIR第二阶段：新型辐射屏蔽织物的制造可行性

• 批准号: 2222985
• 负责人: Anna Brown
• 金额: $ 99.16万
• 依托单位: STARK STREET MATERIALS COMPANY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Cooperative Agreement
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-02-15 至 2025-01-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2222985&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; Manufacturing; Feasibility

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project includes the reduction of lead and toxic elements used as radiation shielding in medical, dental, and veterinary settings. Lead and several of its salt composites have been the go-to radiation shielding material, but there have been documented instances of lead contamination to radiation workers. The proposed technology replaces lead and other elements used in radiation shielding with the safe and non-toxic element bismuth. This project focuses on the technical challenges related to molding new, lighter weight, cleanable, flexible, and elastic radiation shielding materials that can be used to produce garments that are much lighter and more ergonomic for medical personnel who wear radiation shielding for a large portion of their workday. This technology is built on new scientific understandings of bismuth surface stabilization chemistry and chemical engineering in very high-density microparticle composite materials. By tailoring the surface chemistry of bismuth particles, the material properties change dramatically on the macro property scale. In Phase I, the company demonstrated the feasibility of producing the final material, including the identification of polymers, scale-up of materials, and compounding that generated a fabric with exceptional elasticity, high X-ray attenuation, and a very thin profile for its target weight. While composite materials with greater than 85 % by weight bismuth particle filler requires specialized techniques and molding requirements, it yields a superior final material that outperforms all radiation shielding fabrics currently on the market. This project addresses a number of these processing challenges and fabrication techniques.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.

这一小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力包括减少医疗、牙科和兽医环境中用作辐射屏蔽的铅和有毒元素。铅和它的几种盐复合物一直是首选的辐射屏蔽材料，但也有记录表明铅污染了辐射工作人员。拟议的技术用安全无毒的元素铋取代了用于辐射屏蔽的铅和其他元素。该项目的重点是与成型新的，重量更轻，可清洁，灵活和弹性的辐射屏蔽材料相关的技术挑战，这些材料可用于生产更轻，更符合人体工程学的服装，供工作日大部分时间穿着辐射屏蔽的医务人员使用。这项技术是建立在对铋表面稳定化学和化学工程在非常高密度微粒复合材料中的新的科学认识之上的。通过定制铋颗粒的表面化学，材料性质在宏观性质尺度上发生显著变化。在第一阶段，该公司证明了生产最终材料的可行性，包括聚合物的识别，材料的放大和复合，从而产生具有特殊弹性，高X射线衰减和目标重量非常薄的织物。虽然具有大于85重量%的铋颗粒填料的复合材料需要专门的技术和模制要求，但其产生优于目前市场上所有辐射屏蔽织物的上级最终材料。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。