SBIR Phase I: Manufacturing High Performance Natural Fiber Composites for Structural Applications

该小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在证明使用预制件压缩成型工艺制造用于建筑和汽车行业结构应用的高强度和低密度天然纤维复合材料的可行性。目前天然纤维复合材料的力学性能仅限于结构中的非承重部件，这是由于纤维/基体界面差和传统制造工艺限制的纤维长度短。为了解决这个问题，本项目将研究一种创新的高通量预成型压缩成型工艺，使用气流成网沉积技术。该项目的技术成果将使新型绿色复合材料的生产成为可能，从而创造出可持续建筑材料和轻型节能汽车。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是生产具有足够机械性能的天然纤维复合材料，用于建筑和汽车行业的结构应用，用于可持续建筑材料和节能汽车。预计高性能和更便宜的天然纤维复合材料将在200亿美元的建筑材料市场和1.62亿美元的汽车内饰板市场中迅速获得相当大的市场份额。此外，这种新型可持续复合材料将带来多方面的影响，包括：1）显著减轻车辆重量，提高车辆的燃油效率; 2）与传统材料相比，提高绿色建筑的防水和防紫外线性能，优化室内环境质量，降低维护成本; 3）由于这些复合材料的高振动阻尼和抗冲击性，更坚固的建筑材料和更安全的车辆面板; 4）使用可再生资源进行可持续材料生产，以实现能源和环境效率;以及5）潜在的能源&环境设计（LEED）信贷和/或最终用户的退税。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is to demonstrate the feasibility of manufacturing high-strength and low-density natural fiber composites for structural applications in the construction and automotive industries using a preform compression molding process. The mechanical performance of current natural fiber composites is limited to non-load-bearing components in structures due to poor fiber/matrix interface and short fiber length limited by conventional manufacturing processes. To address this issue, this project will investigate an innovative high-throughput preform compression molding process using an air-laying deposition technique. The technical result of this program will enable the production of a new class of green composites to create sustainable building materials and light weight fuel efficient vehicles.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to produce natural fiber composites with adequate mechanical properties for structural applications in the construction and automotive industries for sustainable building materials and energy efficient vehicles. It is expected that high performance and less expensive natural fiber composite will quickly gain a considerable market share in the $20 billion building materials market and $162 million automotive interior panels market. In addition, this new class of sustainable composites will provide multiple broader impacts including 1) significant weight reductions for more fuel-efficient vehicles; 2) improved water- and UV-resistance over conventional materials for green buildings that optimize the indoor environmental quality with lower maintenance costs; 3) stronger building materials and safer vehicle panels due to the high vibration damping and impact resistance of these composites; 4) the use of renewable resources for sustainable materials production to achieve energy and environmental efficiency; and 5) potential Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) credits and/or tax rebates to end users.