Grantee Research Project Results
Development of an Ultrasonic Prototype Instrument to Replace an Environment-Polluting Measurement Practice in the Composite Materials Industry
EPA Contract Number: 68D30077Title: Development of an Ultrasonic Prototype Instrument to Replace an Environment-Polluting Measurement Practice in the Composite Materials Industry
Investigators: Li, Yan
Small Business: Xxsys Technologies Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: September 1, 1993 through January 1, 1995
Project Amount: $150,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (1993) Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Pollution Prevention , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
The objective of this Phase II proposal is to develop an ultrasonic Lamb wave demonstration prototype to replace a widely-used, environmentally polluting industrial practice in composites manufacturing. The goal is to dramatically reduce industrial wastes and minimize health hazards to workers. The current practice generates about 1 million gallons of industrial wastes per year. Composites are increasingly replacing metals in many applications. This megatrend of metal replacement means increasing testing and escalating production of industrial wastes.Phase I of this program developed an innovative waveguide design for selecting the Lamb wave mode and frequency to be transmitted and received. It demonstrated that propagation velocity of symmetrical mode Lamb waves, combined with accurate cutting and weighing, can be used to determine both resin content and fiber areal weight with high precision. Phase II will focus on the manufacture of a demonstration prototype to be used for validation of Lamb wave technology for measurement of resin content and fiber areal weight of uni-directional graphite prepregs, and for evaluation of its applicability to woven prepregs. Success in this program will alleviate the toxic waste problem anticipated as the megatrend of metal replacement accelerates in the next decade.
Supplemental Keywords:
Sustainable Industry/Business, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Waste, Hazardous, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Engineering, Chemistry, Sustainable Environment, Analytical Chemistry, Monitoring/Modeling, Hazardous Waste, cleaner production/pollution prevention, New/Innovative technologies, ultrasonic lamb wave, industrial waste, pollution prevention, measurement, detect, composites, ultrasonicProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.