Project Grant 1142327

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $265,072 Project Grant to Perseus Materials, Inc. under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) program. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to establish the thermal and mechanical limits of novel, fiber-reinforced, plastic composite materials (FRPs) and pioneer a fast-manufacturing process for these FRPs. The project objectives are to enable widespread adoption of lightweight FRPs in...

This SBIR Phase I project, awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) program (CFDA 47.084), aims to develop novel, sustainable textile fibers and fabrics derived from seaweed biopolymers and nanomaterials. The project seeks to create a plastic-free, multifunctional textile material with enhanced properties such as fire resistance, UV protection, and heat shielding, which can serve as an alternative to fossil fuel-based textiles....

Federal Cooperative Agreement Award Summary Endeavor Composites, Inc. received a $1.25 million Phase II Cooperative Agreement from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) program (CFDA 47.084), awarded June 15, 2025, with completion expected May 31, 2027. The award funds development of an innovative mixer and dispersion technology for processing off-specification and recycled carbon fiber into high-quality, defect-free nonwoven fabrics using the...

This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) aims to develop a new class of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRPs) based on vitrimers. Vitrimers are polymers that can reverse fatigue-induced damage when exposed to heat, improving the durability, safety, and lifecycle performance of FRPs in high-performance applications such as aerospace, automotive, and medical devices. The $150,027 award to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will systematically...

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Accelerator Track M award of $649,990 to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) supports the development and commercialization of a family of sustainable bio-based plastics derived from hydroxy fatty acids. Key activities include scaling up monomer synthesis, conducting polymer characterization and recycling assessments, and performing techno-economic and life cycle analyses. RPI is collaborating with Danimer Scientific, a bioplastics...

This $600,000 National Science Foundation project grant supports research at the University of Southern California to develop new manufacturing methods for recycling post-consumer carbon fiber composite materials. The research aims to preserve the value of continuous carbon fibers and recover the polymer matrix from aircraft and other composites currently buried in landfills or subjected to pyrolysis. The project will study techniques to remanufacture recycled carbon fibers and polymer matrix...

Rikarbon Inc. received a $181,500 Phase I award under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212), effective August 15, 2025, with completion targeted for April 14, 2027. The project develops enabling technology to produce 100% bio-based polyols and bio-polyether polyols from non-food biomass, addressing the $31 billion global polyols market currently dominated by petroleum-based...

TD Polymers LLC received a $304,633 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) program (CFDA 47.084) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. The company will develop and validate compostable multilayer polymer films with programmable biodegradation profiles engineered through multilayer coextrusion technology. The core deliverable addresses the gap between current biodegradable...

This SBIR Phase I project awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) program provides $275,000 in funding to Ecotune, Inc. to develop a sustainable, high-performance alternative to natural leather fabric. The project aims to create a 100% bio-based, environmentally friendly leather material that meets industry requirements for mechanical, physical, and aesthetic properties. The proposed technology leverages biomimicry to...

Material Answers, LLC received a $200,000 project grant award from the Department of Energy Office of Science under the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program (CFDA 81.049) to develop green polybenzoxazine/natural fiber composites for transportation applications. The award period runs from June 27, 2022 through March 26, 2023. The project aims to produce composite materials using polybenzoxazine resin reinforced with natural fibers as a more sustainable alternative to traditional...