SBIR Fast-Track: Rapid Repair, Protection, and Reclamation of Key Infrastructure Assets by Frontally Polymerizing Resin System

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Fast-Track project will be the creation of a new generation of repair and protection products for critical infrastructure such as energy and water pipelines. The technology is based on a patented frontal polymerizing resin that has the ability to cure in a few minutes when initiated by heat or light exposure, thus reducing the time for pipeline repair. The total market opportunity for infrastructure repair in the US alone is over $8B, and the main value offered to customers arises from how quickly repairs can be completed and reduced on-site labor. No other repair solution on the market can provide the speed while maintaining the necessary mechanical performance. The business will operate B2B, generating revenue by selling composite overwraps and by selling the materials to trusted distributors in the infrastructure industry. The project will enable the company to ensure it can fully de-risk, sustainably scale, and generate revenue, key to the company's overall success. Early market adopters will be utility companies, service providers, and distributors. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Fast-Track project will focus on the development, testing, and certification of polyolefin thermoset resins cured by frontal polymerization for the rapid repair and protection of key energy and water infrastructure. With 190 million Americans depending on a vast network of over 40,000 miles of public sewer lines, 500,000 miles of private laterals, and a 3.3-million-mile hazardous materials pipeline transportation system, infrastructure resilience is critical. The resulting products from this project transform complex, costly repairs into streamlined operations that protect communities and budgets alike. The objectives in this project are to develop, test, and scale a new resin technology that when incorporated into composite as a repair solution, eliminates the slow application times because of its unique frontal polymerization process, wherein the resin generates its own self-sustaining heat to drive a hardening process that takes just minutes instead of hours or days, regardless of temperature or humidity. The resin will be incorporated into reinforcing fabrics such as fiberglass or carbon fiber to create products that can return a damaged or failing pipeline to its original performance. Completion of the project will result in products that are certified, easy to use, and can be installed in under 10 minutes. 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.