Jon Rust PhD

This research is focused on assisting the University of California, San Diego team with fabric test services, analysis and interpretion of the test data, consultation in perfecting the fabric design and identifying alternative methods and/or materials. He will lead the NC State team in developing best methods for testing of the fabrics created by UC San Diego including the Q-test Constant Rate of Tensile Test machine, air permeability test apparatus, the Martindale Pilling and Abrasion Tester, the Sweating Hot plate and the Kawabata Evaluation System.

This Fabrication Service will focus on the following laboratories. 1. Nonwovens Fiber Science Laboratory, 2. TECS Forensic Textile Analytical Laboratory 3. Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE) laboratories including: spinning, weaving, knitting and dyeing and finishing laboratories. Fabrications services will include creating novel filament through the Nonwovens Institute and subsequently texturing and cutting the fiber. The staple will then be blended and the fiber blends converted to spun yarn. The yarns will subsequently be sized and woven into fabric on the CCI sample loom in the ZTE Weaving Laboratory. Other fabrication services may include knitting the yarns. Testing services may include the TECS Forensic Textile Analytical Laboratory as well as the ZTE Physical Testing Laboratory.

High strength, high modulus fibers are of importance for structural applications. The microstructures of these fibers comprise densely packed chains of highly aligned polymer [1], which yields them such high mechanical performance. Substantial deviations from the theoretical values of stiffness have been attributed to the presence of disordered polymer, voids, and residual solvent- especially in the case of solution spun fibers [2]. The incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into polymer has resulted in the fabrication of stronger, stiffer fibers; nevertheless, there still remains room to improve their mechanical properties even further. My previous research described the presence of a polymer interphase that is well-ordered and strongly adhered to the surface of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) [3]. Although that phase is expected to strengthen fibers spun by the gel spinning technique, there remains a less desirable phase of solvent along SWNTs (represented in Figure 1) that will adversely influence the mechanical properties of nanocomposites. Since aligned CNTs were shown to direct the orientation of residual solvent more easily than poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydroxyl groups,[3] the overall mechanical performance of polymer nanocomposites would increase if the solvent interphase could polymerize and adjoin CNTs with the bulk polymer phase. Furthermore, the solidification of residual solvent would reduce voids in the fiber structure. Therefore, I propose the novel use of reactive diluents as co-solvents to strengthen solution spun polymer nanocomposite fibers. Studies will begin with PVA, but these will continue to include the fabrication of strong, light-weight fibers using other polymers.

Evaluate properties of proposed tricomponent fiber.

The objectives of this project are to: 1. Develop a portable pneumatic splicing system for heavy denier continuous filament yarns 2. Optimize the pneumatic splice configuration that provide the least structure changes of woven fabric 

In order to move forward with this idea to the best of our ability, we need to accomplish the following tasks that we shall refer to as Phase I: 1. Complete a thorough review of the patent literature and technology. This would include utilizing University resources in terms of patent attorneys and professionals along with our own expertise and experience in searching the literature for prior art. 2. Spend significant time establishing a clear set of criteria and constraints including all expected long-term and short-term system deliverables. 3. Build a small-scale apparatus that would allow field testing to analyze: where is the field strongest; what is the range of field strengths for various transformer sizes, shapes and power usage; and what is the potential opportunity in terms of watts.