SBIR Phase I: Development of Novel Nanofillers for Tire Innerliners Based on an Advanced Manufacturing Process of Organically Functionalized Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs)

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在开发一种具有成本效益和环境友好的工艺来制备有机功能化层状双氢氧化物（organoLDHs）。 这种有机LDH具有二维纳米片状形态，并被调整为与有机聚合物具有良好的相容性。在这个项目中，有机LDH将作为轮胎内衬的高性能添加剂进行研究，轮胎内衬是充气轮胎的最内层，可以保持内部空气压力。有机LDH的添加，即使是少量的，预期也会显著增强轮胎内衬的充气压力保持（气体阻隔）性能。该项目的更广泛/商业影响将是创造一种在轮胎行业具有巨大市场潜力的新型添加剂产品的潜力。这些产品提供的价值包括（1）更好的轮胎性能，包括增强的充气压力保持力、更好的轮胎耐久性和降低的滚动阻力;（2）帮助轮胎和汽车制造商满足关于车辆燃油经济性和温室气体排放的挑战性法规;以及（3）潜在的制造成本节约。这项技术的潜在市场规模约为1亿美元。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly process to prepare organically functionalized layered double hydroxides (organoLDHs). Such organoLDHs feature a two-dimensional nano-platelet like morphology and are tuned to have good compatibility with organic polymers. In this project, organoLDHs will be studied as high-performance additives for tire innerliners, the inner-most layer of a pneumatic tire that holds the internal air pressure. The addition of organoLDHs, even in small amounts, is expected to significantly enhance the inflation pressure retention (gas barrier) properties of tire innerliners. The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the potential to create a new class of additive products with great market potential in the tire industry. The values such products provide include (1) better tire performance, including enhanced inflation pressure retention, better tire durability and reduced rolling resistance; (2) helping tire and automobile manufacturers meet challenging regulations on vehicle fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions; and (3) potential savings on manufacturing cost. The potential addressable market size of this technology is about $100 million.