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Polymer Nanocomposites Center of Economic Excellence
Inception: About the Center: Research at the Polymer Nanocomposites Center focuses on developing improved materials for the polymers market. The plastics industry in South Carolina currently accounts for approximately five perrcent of the Gross State Product of goods and services. This Center is aiming to transform the plastics industry and thus have a major impact on the state’s manufacturing economy. A research consortium is being formed to evaluate the potential applications of inorganic and organic-modified inorganic nanomaterials to improve the performance of a variety of polyester (PET) polymers used in the food packaging industry; South Carolina is a national leader in production of these polymers. The Center is also involved in evaluating and improving the gas barrier properties of PET as embodied in a patent portfolio donated to the University of South Carolina (USC) by Eastman Chemical Company. The Center is one of few national academic groups which has a complete system for making PET nanocomposites by in situ polymerization. The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded research funding to the Center to construct and evaluate polymer nanocomposite structures for application in high energy storage devices. The Center anticipates further partnerships with several South Carolina capacitor companies, including KEMET and AVX. From 2007–10, the Center will receive $600,000 in research funding from NSF for a Partnership for Innovation project; partner companies in this project include Michelin, MeadWestvaco, and PBI Performance Products. BASF has granted research funding to this Center to develop the next generation of high temperature fuel cell membranes. To date, the Center has received more than $3.2 million in research funding. SmartState Chair Dr. Brian Benicewicz’s work in high-temperature fuel cell membranes has resulted in a research contract with BASF which has developed fuel cell units being used in European homes and portable power devices. In his work with polymer nanocomposites, he has designed new materials for electronics, optical, and other industrial applications. Work from this Center has led to the creation of a startup company, Parallel Permeation, Inc. To learn more about Centers of Economic Excellence fuel cell research at USC, click here. Funding level: SmartState Endowed Chair:
For more information, please visit the University of South Carolina Nanocenter web site
SmartState Chair Dr. Brian Benicewicz of the Polymer Nanocomposites Center reviews laboratory research with USC Ph.D. student Jessica Frankel.
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