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RESEARCH
IMPACTS University
of Maine – Wood Utilization Research (WUR) Grant 2006-2007 Kiln Drying research saves mills millions of dollars. Data generated
at the University of Maine is used at many of the estimated 3,000 hardwood and
softwood mills in the eastern US states saving each mill $35,000 for each kiln
in compliance testing. UMaine
researchers reduce toxic effluents from paper mills by engineering
design changes allowing the mills to improve efficiency using oxygen
delignification systems. This reduces or eliminates chlorine from the mills
waste, saving money allow the mills to continue in business profitably, keeping
workers employed, and reducing pollution. As more mills adopt the UMaine
technology, millions of dollars will be saved while helping to keep the
environment clean. Partnership with U.S.
Army Natick Soldier Center and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a major R&D
initiative initially funded at $6.2
million to develop advanced materials for troop protection and rapid
deployment including a modular ballistic protection system for up-armoring
tents, inflatable composite bridge arches, structural systems for force
protection, and inflatable structural fabric tubes. $15 Million Wired Grant to Create Jobs
in Maine’s Composite Industry. AEWC partnered with the State and the Maine composites
industry to create the North Star Alliance which was awarded a $15 million
federal grant to strengthen the state’s composites industry and to offset some
of the job losses resulting from the Brunswick base shutdown. AEWC will receive
$1.7 million from the grant and act as the R&D arm for the composites
industry in developing advanced products for boat building and other
applications. America’s Best
Timber Bridges Award of Merit to the Milbridge Pier, designed by the AEWC Center. This award program
highlights the elegance, strength, economy and historical role of timber
bridges. September 2005. Fulbright
Scholar Award at Universidad de Chile, awarded by the U.S. Department of
State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Spring Semester 2006 to AEWC faculty member, Roberto Lopez-Anido. Toxic Mold
research
identifies a new way to predict which molds cause harmful effects to human
health. Not all molds in homes and structures are harmful. By developing a test
to identify molds that produce mold produced toxins, health workers and
hygienists will be able to quickly determine safe vs. unsafe environments and
save the public expense using appropriate clean-up methods. New method of
Wood-Plastic Composite Extrusion using Nylon is the first ever process allow nylon to be used in combination with wood for
super-strong thermoplastic composites.
This new technology allows thermoplastics to be used at high
temperatures, open the door for the use of these materials in automotive “under-the-hood” applications
and other high temperature uses. 3rd International
Conference on Advanced Engineered Wood Composites. Four-day event
attended by over 100 international composites academic, industrial leaders and
students from all over the world, July 10 – 14, 2005. Surface and
Interfacial Properties of Wood, seminar presented by Professor Phillip
Evans, Director, Centre for Advanced Wood Processing, University of British
Columbia, June 12, 2006. Governor Baldacci
Press Conference, announcing the Creation of the North
Star Alliance, supported by a $11 million U.S. Department of Labor grant to
transform the workforce and economy of coastal Maine through the development of
new composites technologies. April 3, 2006. Business
Opportunities: Commercializing New Technology from the University of Maine’s
Advanced Engineered Wood Composites (AEWC) Center. Sponsored by the
Greenville Business Incubator, a Composite Technology Center, April 14, 2006. Congressman Michael
Michaud Press Conference, announcing R & D funding of $2 million for the development of corrosion
resistant wood plastic composite materials for transportation infrastructure. June 5, 2006 Awarded $5,761,138
million
in extramural research funding including grants from the U.S. Army Natick
Soldier Center, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Maine Department of Labor, the
Office of Naval Research and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Carbon Nanotube
Production
research identifies a new method to synthesize these highly valuable materials
from wood fiber. The new method
uses much lower energy to produce the carbon nanotubes than other currently
used processes and the nanotubes produced have several advantages making
potential applications of these versatile materials possible. Elvin Choong
Lecture Series, Louisiana State University, invited presenter, Douglas Gardner, May 16, 2006. Second Place in
the poster session of the Forest Products Society Annual Conference – Eastern
Canada and Northeast U.S. Section to Xuelian
Zhang for her poster, Ultrasonic
atomization of resin-adhesives in oriented strand board production. June
1-2, 2006. ComPRIS ballistic
composites. Ongoing research with AGY company, the leading producer of the fiber used in ballistic
panels for military vehicles and for new bullet-proof cockpit doors in aircraft
shows that UMaine ComPRIS (pat. pend.) panels have improved aerial density
compared to conventional compression-molded panels. Ballistic testing of the
panels is slated for later this year. Wood bio-modification
research has resulted in one patent and one patent-pending. These patents focus
on better, safer methods for environmental wood preservative systems to new
ways to convert wood to biofuels and products. 55 publications including
manuals, chapters and journal articles in the Forest Products Journal, International Journal of Adhesion &
Adhesives, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Journal of Pulp and Paper
Science, Journal of Structural Engineering, SAMPE Journal, and Wood and Fiber Science and others. 39 presentations at
conferences and meetings including COMPOSITES 2005, Conference
of the American Composites Manufacturers Association; the International
Conference on Integrated Approach to Wood Structure, Behavior and Applications,
9th International Conference on Structural Safety and Reliability, ASME
International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, and the Forest
Products Society 60th International Convention. President, Society of
Wood Science and Technology (SWST).
2006. Douglas Gardner. SWST is recognized as the Professional
Society for Wood Science academic and technical excellence. Gottschalk Award -
Forest Products Society.
“The purpose of this prestigious Award is to bestow the Society's
highest level of recognition on an individual that has served the Society with
great distinction and dedication.” Barry
Goodell, June 2006, FPS International Convention. “2006. Outstanding
Researcher Award”. Jody Jellison. College
of Natural Sciences Forestry and Agriculture. UMaine. Additional
Industrial Cooperation: Maine Marine
Manufacturing, LLC (Boothbay, Harbor ME) is a new business
spinoff resulting from a partnership between AEWC and Hodgdon Yachts. Using
designs developed and tested at the AEWC Center, MMM is currently producing the
first prototype of the Mark V.1, an 83 ft US Navy Seals high-speed patrol boat. Harbor Technologies
Inc (Brunswick, ME) is a new business producing an advanced
corrosion-resistant composite piling and pier systems for waterfront construction.
The new company opened (Fall 05) a manufacturing facility in Brunswick, and
just won a $1 million order for the composite piles for the Belfast waterfront.
The advanced composite piling and pier systems were developed and tested by
AEWC in partnership with Mr. Martin Grimnes. Maine Secure
Composites (Orono, ME) is a new AEWC business spinoff that has
been awarded a Department of Homeland Security Advanced Research Program Agency
contract to develop a next-generation ‘smart’ composite shipping container that
can detect intrusions. The advanced container will prevent terrorists from
placing bombs in containers coming into the U.S. Khameleon Nails Corporation (Carrabassett, ME) was awarded a Maine Technology Institute Seed Grant to design
and develop a self-concealing pneumatic nail system for interior trim
applications. Testing for this pneumatic nail system was done in the AEWC laboratories. The Telestick LLC (Pownal, ME) partnered
with AEWC to secure a Maine Technology Institute Seed Grant to conduct product
testing, trademark protection, and refinement of the telestick design. The telestick uses modern materials to recreate a traditional
wooden ski lurk, a tool which allows skiers to support themselves over their
balance point. Harbor Technologies Inc. (Brunswick, ME) is developing a unique method for constructing marine piers
using composite components. The company is working with the AEWC Center to
develop a system that will allow piers to be built faster, cheaper and far stronger than they have been traditionally built. Composite Housing LLC (Durham, ME) will
work with the AEWC Center to conduct a building system code feasibility study
for its Ambiente Housing System, a prefabricated panel system utilizing
recycled material and high strength composites. Wabanaki Inc. holds an option
for exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute this product in the
northeast U.S. Cousineau Wood Products (North Anson, ME) has received a Maine Technology Institute Seed Grant to work with
the AEWC Center to conduct feasibility and strength tests of a composite
extruded beam made with plastic pellets and cleaned demolition wood waste. Old Town Canoe (Old Town, ME) is
collaborating with the AEWC Center to develop and test new composite material
layups that will optimize the performance and production costs of their new
line of composite canoes and kayaks. • 15 other patent applications pending; 7 filed during FY06. • 39 product other
testing and development projects for 32 companies (9 based in Maine).
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