SBIR Phase II: Bamboo Fiber Processing for Use in Reinforced Composites

这个小企业创新研究第二阶段项目将消除竹纤维生产的剩余障碍，竹纤维用于增强聚合物复合材料。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是增加可持续材料的使用，增加美国农业的收入，增加新的创新产品线的国内和国际销售。该项目的成功还将为国内创造就业机会，以支持这些复合材料的研究、制造和销售。在该二期项目中完成的流程将支持以美国制造的环保产品为基础的新兴发展。在推出后的三年内，预计竹纤维的销售将产生超过400万美元的收入。此外，由于这些新产品而增加的竹子种植将有助于减轻不利的环境影响并改善公众健康。这将通过植物生长周期内在的二氧化碳封存和减少与使用高能量玻璃纤维和塑料加工技术有关的污染来实现。该二期项目将解决以下研究课题：物种变化、可制造性、附加高价值产品、附加复合材料性能、加工和处理优化以及商业规模扩大。该小组将通过使用长丝拉伸测试来评估原料变化的机械和物理影响。具体到竹纤维的表面处理将最终确定，目标是增加纤维-基质界面附着力，减少吸水，以及与至少三种主要树脂系统的相容性。这些处理将通过复合材料拉伸测试、长丝测试和水浸测试进行评估。将进行制造研究以验证与商业规模制造设备的兼容性。小型批量工厂的设计和制造将解决技术和自动化方面的挑战。该工厂将为每年生产600万磅纤维的商业规模工厂提供桥梁。该项目的其他创新方面包括评估与美国气候相适应的竹子品种，原材料加工的自动化，以及全面优化的多步骤材料功能化过程的实施。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will eliminate remaining barriers to the production of bamboo fibers for use as a reinforcement in polymer composites. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be an increased usage of sustainable materials, increased revenue for US agriculture, and increased domestic and international sales of a new and innovative product line. Success in this project will also lead to domestic job creation needed to support the research, manufacturing, and sales of these composites. The processes to be finalized during this Phase II project will support the growth of a nascent based on US-manufactured, environmentally-friendly products. Within three years of launch, it is expected that over $4 million in revenue will be generated by sales of bamboo fiber. Moreover, increases in bamboo cultivation as a result of these new products will help mitigate adverse environmental impacts and improve public health. This will be done by the inherent sequestration of carbon dioxide in the plant growth cycle, and a reduction in the pollution associated with the use of high-energy glass fiber and plastics processing techniques.This Phase II project will address the following research topics: species variations, manufacturability, additional high value products, additional composite properties, processing and treatment optimization, and commercial scale-up. The team will assess the mechanical and physical implications of variations in feedstock by the use of filament tensile testing. Surface treatments specific to bamboo fibers will be finalized, with the goal of increased fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion, mitigation of water absorption, and compatibility with at least three major resins systems. These treatments will be evaluated via composite tensile testing, filament testing and water immersion testing. Manufacturing studies will be performed to verify compatibility with commercial scale manufacturing equipment. The design and manufacture of a small scale, batch plant will address technological and automation challenges. This plant will provide a bridge to a commercial-scale plant designed to produce 6 million pounds of fiber yearly. Additional innovative aspects to the project lie in the assessment of a bamboo species compatible with climates in the US, automation of raw bamboo processing, and implementation of a fully optimized multi-step material functionalization process.