SBIR Phase IB: Improved Manufacturing Method for Carbon Nanofiber Production

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将研究通过气体喷射工艺（NGJ）形成新型碳纳米纤维的有效性，并确认这些纳米纤维被纳入聚合物系统时的性能优势。各种直径的碳纤维增强了广泛的材料和产品，以增加强度重量比，并改善复合材料结构的热和电性能。然而，在最大的微纤维（100 nm）和最小的微纤维（3000 nm）之间存在可用纤维直径的显著差距。类似的间隙存在于纤维的纵横比中。实验室演示表明，NGJ工艺生产的纤维填补了这些空白。该项目的目标是开发设备和程序，以证明NGJ纳米纤维在重要应用中的高容量和低成本优势。该项目包括1）中试规模设备的设计和制造，2）纳米纤维的生产和表征，3）复合材料样品的制备，以及4）用NJG纳米纤维增强的复合材料与用市售纳米纤维增强的复合材料的比较。这项研究的结果将证明NGJ纳米纤维的优点及其商业可行性。该项目的完成将使人们了解更大直径、更高长径比的碳纳米纤维对复合聚合物性能的影响。此外，复合材料组件的设计和优化以及制造的过程控制将通过石墨增强纳米纤维的宽范围直径的可用性而得到改进。此外，基本的形态差异将被揭示的方式，石墨烯样片排列在不同直径的纤维生产的NGJ过程。该项目将导致具有独特机械性能的低成本，高性能碳纳米纤维的商业化。这些材料对社会的好处将包括大多数汽车中使用的重量更轻，强度更高的部件，这将减少燃料消耗。此外，当用作锂离子电池电极中负担得起的高性能填料时，这些碳纳米纤维将有助于电动汽车实现大众吸引力。随着低成本、高性能材料被纳入制造工艺、包装产品、粘合剂和许多其他供应链材料中，将出现显著的性能改进和成本降低，这将带来额外的好处。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate the effectiveness of forming novel carbon nanofibers by a gas jet process (NGJ) and confirm performance benefits as these nanofibers are incorporated into polymer systems. Carbon fibers of various diameters enhance a broad range of materials and products to increase the strength-to-weight ratio and improve thermal and electrical properties of composite structures. However, a substantial gap in available fiber diameters exists between the largest nanofiber (100 nm) and the smallest microfiber (3000 nm). A similar gap exists in the aspect ratio of the fibers. Laboratory demonstrations have shown the NGJ process produces fibers that fill these gaps. The objectives of this project are to develop the equipment and procedures that demonstrate the high volume and low cost advantages of NGJ nanofibers reproducibly in important applications. This project consists of 1) design and fabrication of pilot scale equipment, 2) production and characterization of nanofibers, 3) preparation of composite samples, and 4) comparison of composites reinforced with NJG nanofibers to those reinforced with commercially available nanofibers. The results of this research will prove the advantages of the NGJ nanofibers and their commercial viability. Completion of this project will provide an understanding of the impact of larger diameter, higher aspect ratio carbon nanofibers on composite polymer performance. Additionally, the design and optimization of composite components and the process controls of fabrication will be improved by the availability of a wide range of diameters of the graphitic reinforcing nanofibers fibers. Also, fundamental morphological differences will be revealed in the way that graphene-like sheets are arranged in fibers of varying diameters produced by the NGJ process. This project will lead to the commercialization of low cost, high performance carbon nanofibers with unique mechanical properties. Benefits to society from these materials will include lighter weight, higher strength components utilized in most automobiles, which will reduce fuel consumption. Also, when used as affordable high performance fillers in lithium ion battery electrodes, these carbon nanofibers will help electric cars achieve mass appeal. Additional benefits will arise from the significant performance improvements and cost reductions that occur as the low cost, high performance materials are incorporated into manufacturing processes, packaging products, adhesives, and many other supply chain materials.