The Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) has announced the winners of its third annual Materials Design Competition, created by the Materials Interest Group to promote innovative product development from a material structures design perspective. Competition participants included both graduate and undergraduate students.

In the Industrial/Technical and Sports Materials category, the first place award was presented to Private Protection Inc. by Elizabeth Lyles, Courtney Merritt, William Alligood III, and Mallory Foushee, North Carolina State University (NCSU); and second place to Fuzie Mat by Paul Hoang, Sarah Davis, Carly Herring, and Amanda Wayer, NCSU. In the Smart/Electronic/Optoelectronic and Nano-materials category, first place was given to Smart Material for Energy Storage for Solar Panels by Palkin Zed, University of Nevada, Reno.

Each entry was judged on the following criteria: concept originality; design element integration; technical feasibility; clarity of supporting documentation; technical and materials rationale; efficacy of the proposed commercialization of the idea; and viability of economic cost analysis. The winners were awarded cash prizes of $1,000 for first place and $500 for second place in each of the categories, as well as complimentary registrations for the 2009 AATCC International Conference, which will be held March 10-12, 2009, in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

August 5, 2008