This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to reduce the cost and risk of manufacturing nanoparticle/resin blends for coatings. Currently nanocoating resin manufacturing requires two steps; the first is the production of nanoparticles ex-situ of the coating resin using plasma or other energy intensive processes, and the second step is the addition of these nanopowders into the coating resin, usually by chemical processes and/or high energy mixing. Both steps are characterized by high cost, high environmental impact, or both. This new process reduces manufacturing steps, lowers cost and avoids direct exposure to hazardous nanopowders.
The broader impacts/commercial potential of this project is the creation of a roadmap for development of nanoparticle-containing coatings/composites by a one-step process. Potential cost savings are anticipated to be 25% or substantially more compared to existing processes. Coating performance enhancements not otherwise attainable are anticipated as well. Most importantly, health risks posed by inhalation of nanoparticulate powders, currently of unknown toxicity, are completely avoided. The largest potential of this project is the potential reduction of environmental, health and safety risks.
Project Outcome, NSF AWARD 0924689 "Low Cost-Reduced Risk Manufacturing process for Nanocoatings" PHASE-II, IIb Project Outcome: This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project sought to reduce the cost and risk of manufacturing nanoparticle/resin blends for coatings. Currently nanocoating resin manufacturing requires two steps; the first is the production of nanoparticles ex-situ of the coating resin using plasma or other energy intensive processes, and the second step is the addition of these nanopowders into the coating resin, usually by chemical processes and/or high energy mixing. Both steps are characterized by high cost, high environmental impact, or both. The investigated process reduces manufacturing steps, lowers cost and avoids direct exposure to hazardous nanopowders. The process, Topasol INSITU NP, involves modification of a basic formula of liquid phase materials to form an additive for a particular commercial resin of interest that will form nanomaterials and convey special properties when the resin is cured. The basic concept was applied during the course of the work to four different commercial problems. Accomplishments of the project were that two potentially commercial additives were created, scaled up, run in plant tests/production trial and filed for patent, and preliminary work on a third additive looks promising. These are 1) additive for low gloss, 2) additive for easier cleaning and antimicrobial, and 3) coated nanocarbon additive for battery applications. The forth problem tackled, additive for abrasion resistance, illustrated perfectly the obstacles to the technology; the difficulty of working with "black box" resin formulations of customers, and potential for yellowing and undesirable property changes if the resin formula itself is unknown and can’t be changed. The broader impacts/commercial potential of this project, the creation of a roadmap for development of nanoparticle-containing coatings/composites by a one-step process, was shown to be possible in the low gloss project but was not demonstrated to have general application. A coatings company with complete control of formula could likely improve on this resul but Topasol did not try to develop finish coatings. Cost savings for finished product were achievable in the low gloss area where more expensive particle concentrates were being replaced. In the easier cleaning/antimicrobial project the additive added cost because particles were not being used and new performance enhancements not otherwise attainable were sought. Importantly, health risks posed by inhalation of nanoparticulate powders, were minimized, although in one additive some particles were used in the additive itself.
