CMPND

"Advanced polymers, carbon materials, nanocomposites and composites, and advanced composites are the four advanced materials research thrusts at the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI)," said Mr. Brian Rice, Division Head for Multi-Scale Composites and Polymers at UDRI. With the majority of its industrial clients in the aerospace market sector, URDI provides capabilities ranging from bench-level chemistry to fabrication and characterization of components. “We are a vertically integrated organization that can take an idea from conception to completion,” Rice added.

Thanks to the State of Ohio’s Third Frontier program (OTF) through the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD), UDRI has added 20 new research staff on campus, renovated more than 25,000 sf of space, supported between 15 and 20 students each year, and funded 3 to 4 faculty each year. In total, approximately $8 million in OTF funds has rolled out to sponsor new research, including developments in the wind energy. In addition to OTF funds, the UDRI facility has also benefitted from $10 million in capital equipment funds and $4 million in research funds.

UDRI’s OTF funding is comprised of Wright Capital Project Fund (WCPF), Wright Projects (WP), Research and Commercialization Projects (RCP) and  the Wright Centers of Innovation (WCI)  "Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanomaterials and Devices" (CMPND) awards. WCPF funding is directed at innovations in the processing of polymer nanocomposites. “Multiple methods have been established to compound nanoparticles into thermosets, thermoplastics, and elastomers and to convert compounds into industry ready forms such as pellets, films, composites, coatings, molding compounds, etc.,” said Rice. To date, accomplishments include primary property enhancements related to electrical conductivity for EMI shielding, thermal conductivity, and improved wear, friction, fire resistance, and modulus. NanoSperse, LLC, was established in Dayton to commercialize nano-enhanced materials as part of the supply chain originally developed for UDRI.

Rice said, “Our WP funding focused on multi-functional carbon-based materials with the objective of developing a world class capability in carbon processing and characterization. To do this, UDRI worked on high purity exfoliated graphite (graphene) and growth of MWCNT's on conventional fibers (hybrid fibers) that could serve as low-cost nano-artifacts. The UDRI labs further were concerned with purification, activation, coating and functionalization for its carbon-based materials.” UDRI also used an atmospheric process to derive low-cost carbon foams used for bone replacement implants and further developed low-cost, carbon-carbon composites. For some of these efforts, UDRI installed a high-temperature processing furnace, which could purify, carbonize, and graphitize materials. The furnace was also used for sintering ceramics. Additional studies were performed on a variety of materials to evaluate carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as thermal interface materials, sensors and supercapacitors.

“We also had projects on low-cost, nano-composite tooling techniques that would promote agile manufacturing methods, including mold design and injection analysis,” Rice added. Other projects have focused on the design, fabrication, and testing of fabricated plastic and nano-composite parts made by injection molding and based on low-cost tooling (LCT). Such processing also required amping up UDRI’s capabilities in fabricating prototypes and developing LCT molds, quickly and inexpensively. LCT was demonstrated for blow molding applications. “UDRI has worked with Sherwood Advanced Composites, a northern Ohio company, which has been working with us to develop LCT molds that are being used to create components for NASA,” Rice said.

“With research contracts to over 50 entities that include federal labs, industry, and universities, commercialization and technology transition have been very important to our success,” Rice said. Collaborations with Nanosperse, LLC, to produce LCT material at industrial scale and To-Technologies, LLC, to fabricate mold billets and molds with LCT have enhanced the Ohio supply chain that runs through UDRI.

“Our work with CMPND has centered on the building blocks of our target audience, namely functional polymers, nanoparticles and biomolecules,” said Rice. With them, we are looking at affordable synthesis and manufacturing at the micro/nanoscale.” “From such efforts, we want to produce well-defined multi-scale and multi-functional polymer and composite structures to be used for nanocomposites, photonics, and biomedical devices, among other products.”

“With The Ohio State University (OSU), the National Composites Center (NCC), Owens-Corning, Webcore, GE Transportation, and NanoSperse, we have also won an ODOD Research Commercialization Program (RCP) grant to push a variety of innovative new materials-based technologies out to the marketplace,” Rice commented. Output includes products such as wind turbine blades, shipping containers, vehicle armor, and marine enclosures. The research also includes functional polyimide films and composites to enhance the durability and properties of many high-performance applications across several industries.

UDRI also works with federal clients, such as the US military forces to design vehicle armor. Other projects center on jet engine parts designs to impart special properties, such as nano-enhanced composites to significantly increase thermal conductivity, which can be used to combat engine icing. UDRI coatings research has integrated some of its technology output towards polymeric composite structures to enhance product lifetimes and augment performance via multi-functionality.

“If we look at the broad sweep of what is going on at URDI, several themes emerge,” said Rice. “We are working on ways to reduce the weight of systems while staying within a practical budget; to increase mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, and to develop and demonstrate multi-functional nano-composite structures that can meet weight and cost objectives.”

“The benefits of all of this TF investment in advanced materials to the State of Ohio include the emergence of several new companies, such as NanoSperse, Renegade, Vector, and Zyvex,” said Rice. “We are facilitating the efforts of Ohio businesses to win small business innovation research funding (SBIR), and we are continuously building networks among Ohio businesses and universities.” Along the way, more jobs are being created as Ohio takes its place as a leader in alternative energy and a leader in advanced materials R&D. “Ohio is becoming a leader in sensors, too,” Rice added. “And while job creation might not be immediate, we are laying the groundwork for significant future opportunities to add jobs that will be long-lasting and technologically significant.”

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The University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) was established in 1956. Its researchers and students perform basic and applied research in engineering and science. UDRI is ranked #2 in funded materials research in the nation. In UFY2009, $90MM of research was executed at UDRI. The Institute employs 385 full-time staff whose work is augmented by 80+ faculty and 200+ students. The facility has over 200,000 sf of dedicated research space. UDRI hosts s Ohio’s aerospace hub of innovation and opportunity.

The Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanomaterials and Devices (CMPND) is a research and commercialization partnership in polymer nanotechnology. This multi-institutional, interdisciplinary organization, centered at The Ohio State University, partners with the University of Dayton, the University of Akron, the University of Toledo, Kent State University, and Wright State University. For more information, cmpnd.org