Herty named to national research institute
Savannah's Herty Advanced Materials Development Center, an applied research center of Georgia Southern University, has been named by the U.S. Department of Energy to be a founding member of the newly created Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation. The institute will work to develop better composite materials and technologies for rapid deployment within the automotive, wind turbine and compressed gas storage industries.
Partners in the new institute, created under the auspices of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, include the DOE and a consortium of 122 companies, nonprofits and universities that will invest more than $250 million to advance the development of low-cost, high-performance composites.
"Lighter, stronger materials are key to increasing energy efficiency and fuel economy," said Walter Chappas, director of advanced materials at Herty. "Herty has considerable experience in the design and production of composite materials; so we are very excited to be part of this national effort and contributing our expertise to this endeavor."
As announced by President Barack Obama, the institute will focus on advanced fiber-reinforced polymer composites that combine strong fibers with tough plastics to yield materials that are lighter and stronger than steel.
Advanced composites are used to make aircraft, military vehicles, satellites and luxury cars; however, these materials remain expensive, require large amounts of energy to manufacture, and are difficult to recycle. The efforts of the new institute are dedicated to overcoming these barriers by developing low-cost, high-production, energy-efficient manufacturing and recycling processes for composites applications.
"Being a partner in this national network allows us to collaborate with other leading technology providers to solve real world problems and to create the manufacturing platforms of the future," said Dr. Alexander A. Koukoulas, president & CEO of Herty AMDC.
"Our participation also allows us to showcase the R&D and manufacturing capabilities here in Georgia and the expertise that our organization can bring to this national initiative."
The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation is the fifth research institute named by the president and another step toward fulfilling the administration's vision for the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation. The public-private partnership was selected through a competitive process led by the Advanced Manufacturing Office within the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Among the 57 corporate partners are: Ashland Performance Materials; BASF Co.; Boeing Co.; Celanese International; Dow Chemical Co.; DuPont; Ford Motor Co.; GE Water & Power; Honda R&D Americas Inc.; Johns Manville; Lockheed Martin; Owens Corning; PPG Industries Inc.; and Volkswagen.
In addition to Georgia Southern, key university partners include the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Colorado School of Mines; Colorado State University; Iowa State University; Michigan State University; Mississippi State University; the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Purdue University; The Ohio State University; University of Dayton Research Institute; University of Kentucky; University of Michigan; and Vanderbilt University.
Herty, which became part of GSU lin 2012, was established in 1938 to continue the work of the late University of Georgia professor Charles Herty, a research chemist whose findings on turning pine trees into newsprint spawned a massive industry.
Herty discovered an innovative way to make quality paper and rayon fiber from the Southern pine, a tree that grows abundantly in Georgia. His work catalyzed the pulp and paper industry in the South and helped revive the region's economy during the Great Depression.
Over the years, Herty has expanded its focus, leveraging strengths in fibers and pilot-scale production into new industrial markets and products, including development of synthetic non-woven materials, innovative "green" technologies, biomass processing and short-fiber composites. Located in a 120,000-square-foot facility on a 10-acre campus in West Savannah, the center's extensive pilot-scale capabilities for prototyping new products also helps companies lower the risk of the commercialization process.
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To learn more about Savannah's Herty Advanced Materials Development Center, go to www.herty.com.
