U.S.-Tanzania Cooperative Research: Study of Affordable Biocomposites for Structural Engineering Applications

该奖项支持佛罗里达农工大学土木工程系Primus Mtenga博士和坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆大学机械工程系EliFasi Bisanda博士之间为期一年的合作研究项目。调查人员将收集该地区本土的天然纤维和聚合物样本。还将研究这些原材料的来源，以确定提取和半加工技术是否会对这些性能产生任何影响。通过使用这些原材料来开发合成生物复合材料，研究人员希望引入新的、更负担得起的建筑材料。这种新的、负担得起的技术将对环境无害，并将为发达国家和发展中国家创造经济机会。

This award supports a one-year collaborative research project between Dr. Primus Mtenga, Department of Civil Engineering, Florida A&M University, and Dr. Elifasi Bisanda, Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Dar-es-Salaam, in Tanzania. The investigators will collect samples of natural fibers and polymers native to the region. The sources of these raw materials will also be studied to determine whether extraction and semi-processing techniques create any changes in these properties. By using these raw materials to develop synthetic biocomposites, the investigators hope to introduce new, more affordable, construction materials. This new, affordable technology will be environmentally sound and will create economic opportunities for both developed and developing countries.