Georgia Southern University’s Herty Advanced Materials Development Center (Herty) has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) at North Carolina State University. The CRADA leverages the strengths and abilities of the two organizations in an effort to scale up basic research in fiber technology including developing specialty fibers such as islands-in-the-sea and other advanced bicomponent fibers. Herty will use its wetlay capabilities for rapid prototyping, while NWI will direct the overall approach to polymer processing.
One specific goal of the agreement is to overcome the technical challenges involved in commercializing specialty fibers. Areas to be addressed include: continuous spinning of specialty fibers; chemical and mechanical processes needed to economically use islands-in-the-sea fibers in both fiber and fabric products; and rapid prototyping of product concepts.
“The CRADA allows the two organizations to bring together their unique expertise and capabilities in materials development as well as product development,” said Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi, director, NWI. “This scale up will bring about novel solutions to address many critical needs. This cooperation will help bridge the gap from bench scale”
January/February 2015
