Introduction to
The Nonwovens Institute
Established 1991 as a NSF State I/UCRC
NAFA 2014 Technical Seminar
Genevieve Garland, PhD
Director – Partnership and Market Intelligence
Copyright - NWI, NC State University - 1991-2014
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NC State University
 North Carolina State University is a
Research I University with more than 34,000
students and nearly 8,000 faculty and staff.
 North Carolina State University is a
comprehensive university known for its
leadership in education and research, and
globally recognized for its science,
technology, engineering and mathematics
leadership.
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History of Nonwovens at NC State
 The Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center
(NCRC) was founded in 1991 as a State-IURC from
grants from the United State National Science
Foundation (NSF), the State of North Carolina, and
Industry. NCRC Graduated from NSF in 1998.
 NCRC has grown to be the largest industry
cooperative research center in the Nation.
 The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) was established on
February 15, 2007.
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The Nonwovens Institute
The Nonwovens Institute is a
university-wide unit that works
with the faculty in the
participating colleges and partner
universities and member
companies to support the various
industrial sectors that it
represents… and train future
leaders for the industry…
Copyright - NWI, NC State University - 1991-2014
Nonwovens
Institute
Textiles
Fiber & Polymer Science
Chemical Engineering
Paper Science & Engineering
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What We Actually Do at NWI?
Testing &
Fabrication
Education
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Funded by NWI
PhD Research
Graduate
Certificate
Short Courses
In-plant Training
37+ PhD Students
Faculty
Meet twice/year
Project monitoring
Typically no IP, but
Bylaws define IP
rights
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Funded by
Sponsor
No student/faculty
involvement
Research Staff
only
Confidential
Sponsor present at
trial
Sponsor defines
protocol
Simple Agreement
with no IP terms
Enabler for
innovation
New Product
Development
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Funded by
Sponsor
No student
involvement
Research
scientists
Meet monthly
Reporting
requirement
Project
monitoring
Option to License
IP generated
Assistance with
commercialization
Incubation
LINC, LL
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Funded by
Sponsor
Help
commercialize
technologies
developed at NWI
Manufacture on a
limited basis
products
Identify companies
who can produce
the products
Transfer
technology to
client
LINC is a non-profit affiliated entity of NC State…
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Market
Impact
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Medical &
Hygiene
Filtration
Automotive
Wipes
Building
&
Emerging
Durables
Industrial
Platform
Translation Technologies
Materials & Process
Technologies
Surface & Bulk
Engineering
Micro and Macro
Modeling
Nonwovens, Fiber & Polymer Science and Eng., and Paper Science
Platform Technologies
Copyright - NWI, NC State University - 1991-2014
Benefits to Members
Market Segments
Training Future Leaders
Open Innovation Network
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Members
Full Members
3M
Ahlstrom
Andritz Nonwovens
Attends Healthcare (Domtar)
Baiksan
BASF
BSN Medical
Braskem
Cardinal Health
Cotton Inc.
Cummins Filtration
Dow Chemical
Donaldson
DuPont
Eastman Chemical
ExxonMobil
First Quality
Copyright - NWI, NC State University - 1991-2014
Full Members
FiberVisions
Flanders
FiberTex
Freudenberg Nonwovens
Groz-Beckert
Hills Inc.
Hollingsworth & Vose
InnoPad
Janesville Acoustics
Johnson & Johnson
Kimberly-Clark
Kraton Polymers
MANN+HUMMEL GMBH
EMD Millipore
NatureWorks, LLC
NATICK Soldier Center
Nike
Covers the whole value
chain, small to large
Full Members
Pall Corp.
Pentair Inc.
PGI Nonwovens
PlyGem
Procter & Gamble
Riefenhauser REICOFil
Schlumberger
Solvay Specialty Polymers
Techmer PM
Trützschler Nonwovens
Veolia
Voith
VTT
Welspun
Xerium
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Members
Affiliate Members
AccuSentry, Inc.
Allasso Industries
ANSYS
Biax FiberFilm
CHA Research
Dilo Inc.
Fi-Tech
Industrial Microwave Systems
JSAM
LIST
MiniFIBERS, Inc.
Nano Filtration Technologies
SNS Nano Fibers
TTRI
U.S. Pacific Nonwovens
Copyright - NWI, NC State University - 1991-2014
Covers the whole value chain,
small to large and more…
Start-up Members
The Colberg Company, LLC
Supporting Orgs.
AATCC
EDANA
INDA
TAPPI
Membership dues are exclusively used
to support our multi-disciplinary, but
fundamental shared research, initiated
and monitored by our membership
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Knowledge Creation: Core
Research
 37+ PhD students
 Meet twice/year with all members
 Reporting requirement
 Project progress monitoring
 Typically no IP generated; Bylaws define IP
rights
 Results only shared with the members until
results are published or student graduates
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Knowledge Creation:
Core Research
 Nonwovens Materials & Process Technologies
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Fibers, Additives, Coatings
Material-process-performance interactions
 Surface & Bulk Engineering
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Controlling functionality – e.g., ion-exchange, electret, …
Controlling behavior – e.g., shape memory, …
 Micro and Macro Modeling
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Structure modeling,
Performance modeling, etc…
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Knowledge Creation: Core Research
Materials & Process Technologies
Project ID
Title
06-89NC
Solution Blowing Fundamentals
08-111
Melt Electrospinning with Adhesive Polymers
08-115
Investigating Polymer/Polymer Interface
09-118
Fabrication and Modeling of Conductive Nonwovens
09-124NC
Photovoltaic Polymer and Ceramic Nanocomposite Materials
09-125NC
Hybrid Woven/Nonwoven Composite for Protection
10-132
Structure of Needle Punched Fabrics & Needling Mechanism
11-136
Interconnected Micropores in Hollow Nonwoven Fibers
12-139
Structure-Property Relationships of Nonwovens Filled with Calcium Carbonate
12-140
Cellulose Nanocrystals as Additive and Reinforcing Agent in of PE and PP
12-142-A &B
PVDF Multifunctional Microfiber Spunbond Nonwovens
12-144 SB
12-145-NC
12-147-NC
13-148-NC
13-149
Spinning Fibers below 50nm
Behavior and Limitations of Novel Filler Loading in Polymeric Materials
Nonwovens as Replacement for Membranes in Water Filtration
Conductive Nonwovens
Modeling of Meltblowing Process Conditions
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Knowledge Creation: Core Research
Functionalization
Project ID
Title
08-113
Durable Nanolayer Graft Polymerization of functional Finishes Using Plasma
10-131
11-135
Ion Exchanger Formation via Sulfonated Block Copolymer
Fluid Absorption and Release of Nonwovens and their Response to Compression
08-114
Electrostatic charged polymer filter media with melt additives
11-133NC
Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Processes for Nonwovens
11-134
Vapor Surface Modification of Nonwovens
12-137NC
Novel Block Ionomer Fiber Coatings for Controlled Pore Size
12-141
13-151
Development of anti-biofouling coatings on PET nonwovens for specific attachment
of biological antibodies and for removal of heavy metals
The First Predictive Theory to Estimate the Thickness and Porosity of Nanofiber
Nonwoven Mats
Materials for Sensing and Analysis of Nonwoven Structures
13-153
Surface Modification Material Platform via Functional Powder Coating Technology
13-155
Durable, Self-extinguishing, and Halogen-free Flame Retardants for Nonwovens
13-150-SB
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Knowledge Creation: Core Research
Modeling/Structure-Property Relationships
Project ID
Title
07-99
08-110
Simulating Multi-component Aerosol Filters via Geometrical Modeling and Volumetric
Imaging
Investigating the Bonding/Fiber-fracturing performance of Hydroentangling
09-120
Composite Nonwoven Materials in Heat Insulation
09-122 NC
Hybrid Composite Liquid Filters
10-127
Melt-Spun Bi/Tricomponent Fibers Exhibiting Shape Memory: A Mesoscale to
Macroscale Experimental and Theoretical Study
Deformation and Failure Mechanisms of Low-Density Nonwoven
10-129
10-130
13-152
Fundamental Study of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Fibers in Filtration Media and
their Effect on Droplet Impact, Coalescence and Penetration
A Systematic Investigation of the Factors that Trigger Thermal Decomposition During
the Processing of Industrially-Relevant Polymers
Micro-and Macro-Scale Modeling of Filter Aging: Effects of Particle Deposition on
Filter Performance
Parametric Modeling of Compression Performance of Nonwovens
13-150-SB
Predictive Theory to Estimate the Thickness and Porosity of Nanofiber Nonwovens
13-154
Cold-Draw Shape-Memory Bi/Tricomponent Fibers: Elucidating the Polymer/Polymer
Interface and Adding Sensory Functionality
12-138
12-143
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Training Future Leaders
NW 203 – Materials used in nonwovens
NW 305 – introduction to processes and products
NW 405 – Advanced nonwoven processing
NW 503 – Materials used in nonwovens
NW 405 – introduction to processes and products
NW 505 – Advanced nonwoven processing
NW 407 – Characterization methods in nonwovens
NW 408 – Nonwoven product development
NW 507 – Characterization methods in nonwovens
NW 508 – Nonwoven product development
Graduate Certificate in Nonwovens
The students who complete the above 5 graduate courses, can receive a
university graduate certificate in Nonwovens Science and Engineering.
This is the only program of its kind in the world
PhD
Fiber & Polymer Science, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering, Bioengineering, and others
Our Goal is to have 5 dedicated tenure-track faculty in NWI by 2017.
Member Benefit: Free online access to all courses materials
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New Product Development
 Our guiding principals are that such programs must
be transformative in that the new product or activity:
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Challenges what is possible
Disrupts existing learning curves
Leaps beyond today’s technologies
 Funded by Individual Sponsor
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No student involvement
Staff and research scientists
Typically IP generated
Sponsor receives option to license IP
Results only shared with the sponsor
Member Benefit: Access to talent and facilities at reduced rates
Copyright - NWI, NC State University - 1991-2014
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New Product Development
Product Development Examples
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New high surface area fiber
New Splittable fiber/spunbond
High strength nonwoven for shelters
Durable nonwovens for uniforms
3-D nonwovens
Modeling of meltblowing process
3-D modeling of nonwoven structures
New acoustical nonwovens for speakers
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Technology Transfer and Incubation
Leaders in Innovation & Nonwoven Commercialization – LINC, LLC
 The challenge with commercializing any new technology is
that often, new manufacturing assets are required and capital
expenditures are difficult to justify in the absence of significant
proven market potential…
 LINC is a non-profit affiliated entity of NC State (The Institute).
http://www.lincnonwovens.com/home
 LINC acts as an incubator to:
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Help commercialize technologies developed at the Institute
Manufacture on a limited basis products that are not commercially
proven to help with the launch of the products
Assist in identifying companies who can take on the task of producing
the products, and will help transfer the technology
Member Benefit: Incubation of new ideas and products to prove commercial feasibility
Copyright - NWI, NC State University - 1991-2014
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Be The “Go-To” Information Resource
Professional Development
Regularly Scheduled
Custom
 Nonwoven Products and
 Microscopy and Image
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Processes
Manufacturing Process
Fundamentals
Spunbonding & Meltblowing
Fundamentals
Bonding Fundamentals
Characterization Methods
Product Development
Copyright - NWI, NC State University - 1991-2014
Analysis
 Product Development
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Filtration
Wipes
Industrial Nonwovens
Automotive Nonwovens
…
 Processing
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Forecasting Technology and Market Needs
 NWI offers services in forecasting technology and market
needs through market intelligence.
 The market intelligence and technology assessment provides
a systematic approach to looking at the current and future
direction markets and technologies are moving to provide
decision makers with information that helps them anticipate,
drive and plan for the research and development that leads to
breakthrough technologies and products.
 This activity is useful to individual companies but also helps
the IAB and the Executive Committee in identifying technology
gaps and new research directions for NWI’s core programs.
Member Benefit: Access to knowledge and know-how at reduced rates
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Creating Testbeds
 NWI offers to industry diagnostic and testing and pilot
production services by creating testbeds and making these
available at reasonable fees.
 Funded by Individual Sponsor
 Daily rate
 Confidential
 No student involvement
 Staff and research scientists
 Allows sponsor to reduce their ideas to practice
 Sponsor present at trials
 Simple agreement with no IP terms
 Results only shared with the sponsor
Member Benefit: Access to know-how and facilities at reduced rates
Copyright - NWI, NC State University - 1991-2014
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Testbeds:
Current Pilot Testbeds
 Fiber Extrusion
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Mono, Homo, Bico,
Trico
 Spunbond
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Bico – 60 cm
 Meltblown
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Hills Bico – 60 cm
Biax – 40 cm
Reicofil – 1.2 m
Reicofil – 12.5 cm
Copyright - NWI, NC State University - 1991-2014
 Carding/calendaring/
crosslapping/needlepunching/thermalbonding
 Erko – 1.5 m
 Electrospinning
 NanoSpider – 25 cm
 Coating/Laminating
 Knife, roll, pad – 80 cm
 Gravure roll – 50 cm
 Powder – 10 cm
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What Members Tell Us…
 Research Cost Avoidance & Research Amplification
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Access to core research programs
Access to students, faculty and staff
Voting rights to determine research agenda
 Technology Transfer
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Option to any IP developed through core research programs
Access to online research archives
Training programs at a discount
Free online course materials
 Service/Economic Development
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Product development
Analytical services
Discounted use of facilities & testing
 Networking
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New members showcase at IAB
Marketing on NWI website
Industrial networking at semi-annual meeting
Networking with various faculty, students and staff
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