SBIR Phase I: Advanced Polymer Matrix Composites Based on Nanofiber Fused Microfiber Architecture

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将使用该公司开发的连续纳米纤维熔融超细纤维(NF2-M)增强技术开发和表征一类新型聚合物基复合材料。在这项正在申请专利的工艺中，碳纳米纤维直接从连续长丝(以两种形式引入)的表面以连续、可扩展的工艺生长。与传统方法不同的是，在非常低的装载量和可疑的分散性下，将碳纳米纤维引入到基质树脂中需要进行困难的混合操作，上述方法产生连续的三维增强体，这些增强体很容易使用标准制造技术合并到复合材料中，包括纤维缠绕和预浸料湿法铺设工艺。不需要额外的或修改的复合材料制造步骤。为了初步演示先进的复合材料微结构方法，将使用NF2-M增强纤维制造航空航天级环氧复合材料，并测量其物理、机械、电气和热性能。拟议研究的科学、经济和社会影响有三个方面：(I)为材料科学研究的新技术提供基础；(Ii)利用这些基本发现开发和设计使材料能够满足当前和未来应用的工业日益增长的需求；以及(Iii)提供一种低成本、商业可用的高性能碳纤维增强技术，有可能改变复合材料行业的面貌。到2011年，全球增强碳纤维的市场预测约为122亿美元，本研究提出的新方法可以利用现有的众多市场。体育用品、电子产品、消费品、航空航天和汽车行业都是拟议材料技术的目标市场。

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop and characterize a novel class of polymer matrix composite materials using the continuous NanoFiber Fused- Microfiber (Nf2-M) reinforcement technology developed by the company. In this patent pending process, carbon nanofibers are grown in a continuous process directly from the surface of continuous filaments (introduced in tow form) in a continuous, scaleable process. Unlike traditional approaches which involve difficult mixing operations to introduce carbon nanofibers into the matrix resin at very low loading levels and with questionable dispersion, the above approach produces continuous three-dimensional reinforcements which are easily incorporated into composites using standard fabrication techniques, including filament winding and prepreg wet lay-up processes. No additional or modified composite fabrication steps are needed. For initial demonstration of the advanced composite microstructure methodology, Nf2-M reinforcing fibers will be used to fabricate aerospace grade epoxy composites and physical, mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties will be measured.The scientific, economic, and societal impacts of the proposed research are threefold: (i) providing a foundation for a new technology in materials science research; (ii) utilizing these fundamental findings to develop and engineer enabling materials to meet growing needs in industry for current and future applications; and (iii) providing a low cost, commercially available, high performance carbon fiber reinforcement technology that has the potential to change the face of the composite materials industry. Global market forecast for reinforcing carbon fibers is ~$12.2 billion annually by 2011, and the novel approach proposed in this research can take advantage of the multitude of existing markets. Sporting goods, electronics, consumer products, aerospace, and automotive industries are all target markets of the proposed materials technology.