SBIR Phase I: Advanced Manufacturing Technology for Composite Lumber

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will reshape synthetic lumber production and contribute to more environmentally friendly and durable solutions within the rail sector. The standard wooden railroad tie must be chemically preserved to maybe last 25 years causing over 21 million ties to be replaced annually. This synthetic innovation extends the crossties’ life and eliminates the need for harmful preservation chemicals, which currently threaten disadvantaged communities. By sourcing whole, used carpets to produce a synthetic rail crosstie, this project removes some of the annual 4 billion pounds of carpet waste; thus, saving landfill space from both future carpet and wooden crosstie disposal. Proving a reproducible, streamlined process by using 100 percent of waste product will advance knowledge into recycling efforts. The $7B railroad industry faces two major challenges in using wooden crossties: newly harvested, immature timbers causing 20% installation failures, and the U.S. creosote shortage causes outsourcing. This technology solves these issues and will meet the industry’s stringent regulations where other synthetics fall short. The project will first supply crossties to short-line railroads while waiting on needed certifications to enter class 1 rails. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project for developing railway crossties will enable repurposed waste carpet to be converted into a form with the structural and performance characteristics required for the product to be used as a crosstie. The product must pass standards set by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-Of-The-Way Association (AREMA). By using a one-step manufacturing technique, this project has the potential to realize a lower price point with a superior-quality product compared to the competition’s three-step processes. The innovation centers around the repeated layering of carpet material, application of resins, and simultaneous application of heat and pressure needed to reach the required crosstie properties and size. Phase I’s research will investigate the high chemistry risks involved in upscaling this technology to produce larger, more complex pieces while minimizing waste, eliminating hazardous waste, and optimizing process time. Validating chemical reactions in a hot fuse environment is critical. The project must also identify the correct resins needed to ensure the variable insource material does not hinder the final product. Scientists from two nationally known laboratories will assist in identifying and mitigating these chemical risks, identifying needed resins, and running necessary tests to meet AREMA standards. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.