Research Catalyst: Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) of Composites using Bio-fiber Reinforcements Infused with Thermoplastic Bio-resins

研究催化剂项目为历史上的黑人学院和大学提供支持，努力建立教师的研究能力，以加强科学，技术，工程和数学本科教育和研究。预计该奖项将进一步提高教师的研究能力，改善研究和教学机构，并参与本科生的研究经验。Prairie View AM University的这个项目专注于开发3D打印技术来制造生物纤维增强复合材料;并为本科生提供了一个通过研究经验提高教育的机会。&研究人员与Rensselear Polytechnic Institute的教师建立了强有力的合作。本研究的目标是利用层压物体制造（LOM）技术快速原型层压生物复合材料部件，由生物纤维增强材料和生物树脂基体制成，可用作传统的，非生物降解的先进复合材料部件的环境友好的替代品在工业原型/制造应用。一个功能性的LOM 3D打印机将被设计和建造，它使用由选定的编织生物纤维和生物树脂制成的生物纤维，部分固化作为LOM过程的起始工作材料。这个过程将涉及实验设计，工作材料成分的优化，单个过程结果的比较，制造和装配设计，以及闭环控制理论的实现。3D打印生物部件的质量将根据其几何精度和机械性能进行评估，并与原始输入模型以及由其他常见快速成型技术和材料制成的3D打印部件进行比较。这项研究旨在使用100%可生物降解的复合材料进行快速原型制作，以实现与常规3D打印策略相似或更好的零件质量结果，并减少该过程的碳足迹。使用可生物降解材料进行快速成型工艺的想法也将成为未来"绿色"制造工艺发展的一个很好的指导。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Research Catalyst projects provide support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities to work towards establishing research capacity of faculty to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics undergraduate education and research. It is expected that the award will further the faculty member's research capability, improve research and teaching at the institution, and involve undergraduate students in research experiences. This project at Prairie View A&M University focuses on developing 3D printing technology to manufacture bio-fiber reinforced composite materials; and provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to enhance their education through research experiences. The researcher has established a strong collaboration with faculty at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute. The goal of this research is to utilize the laminated object manufacturing (LOM) technology for rapid prototyping laminated bio-composite parts that are made from bio-fiber reinforcements and bio-resin matrix, which can be used as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional, non-biodegradable advanced composite parts in industrial prototyping/manufacturing applications. A functional LOM 3D printer will be designed and built, which uses bio-prepregs made from selected woven bio-fiber and bio-resin that is partially cured as starting work materials for the LOM process. This process will involve the design of experiments, optimization of work material composition, individual process result comparisons, design for manufacturing and assembly, as well as closed-loop control theory implementations. The qualitites of 3D printed bio-parts will be assessed based on their geometric accuracies and mechanical properties, which will be compared to the original input model, as well as 3D printed parts made from other common rapid prototyping technologies and materials. This research seeks to use 100% biodegradable composite materials for rapid prototyping purposes to achieve similar or better part quality results than regular 3D printing strategies, as well as reduce the carbon footprint of the process. The idea of using biodegradable materials for rapid prototyping processes will also act as an excellent guide for 'green' manufacturing process developments in the future.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.