SBIR Phase II: The Digital Spinneret

Free Form Fibers L.L.C., Saratoga Springs NY

Investigators

Abstract

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will build upon recent advances in nanotechnology and laser processing of materials to pursue the large-scale production of stoichiometrically pure silicon carbide (SiC) fibers which are very difficult to obtain by other means. The transition from laboratory scale to industrial production requires a sea change in manufacturing approach. The proposed research will investigate the parameters involved in creating a "Digital Spinneret" (DS), a novel technology platform which enables the production of large qualities of high-quality fibers. The Phase I project demonstrated feasibility of the Digital Spinneret to produce many fibers in parallel; the Phase II research will extend and optimize this manufacturing method. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be the enabling of scaled production of high-purity ceramic fibers for application in military and aerospace (turbomachinery, rockets, advanced structures), automobile, medical, energy, and other industries that require advanced materials with exceptional strength, stiffness, heat resistance, and/or chemical resistance. These are fast-growing fiber markets with great potential, and with a collective size exceeding $1 billion. The projected energy footprint of this production method is 1/1000th that of competing methods, providing a huge cost advantage.