Tech Opens Nonwovens And Advanced Materials Lab.

Media Credit: Coleman Morefield

The Texas Tech Institute of Environmental and Human Health unveiled its new Nonwoven and Advanced Materials Lab Monday at the Reese Technology Center, which includes an air conditioning and humidification system, contoured needlezone needlepunching technology, and thermal bonding capability.

The 4,000 square foot state-of-the art lab at the Reese Technology Center in West Lubbock will focus on associate professor Seshadri Ramkumar's research on nonwoven technology and materials.

According to a Tech news release, the $1.5 million lab was funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance.

"Help funding the facility came from foundations, Texas Tech and LEDA, but this would not have been possible without the help of the government," said Tech Chancellor Kent Hance. "We are increasing research. Soon we will have a new vice president of research, and this lab is part of that growth."

He said the research and opportunities that will come out of the nonwoven lab are big for Tech and Lubbock, in part because it will create jobs and save lives.

Rory Holmes, president of the Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry, said the new lab is a tool in helping the nonwoven technology, and up to $6 billion of production can come from the Nonwoven Lab.

In the poor state of the economy, he said, it is a good time for small companies and research groups to look for opportunities to get government research contracts.

The use of cotton will be one of the main areas of research, said Ron Kendall, the director of the TIEHH. Ramkumar's research is a platform, he said, not only for nonwoven materials and production, but for Lubbock as well.

Ramkumar said the first project his group will research is finding new micronaire cotton, which is low in cost.

Other research will be conducted on creating new products such as high performance materials and automobile materials, Ramkumar said, which will create new jobs.

Ramkumar said it took about three years to get the facility up and running, and now that it is open, it has put the TIEHH on the international map.

Kendall said the technology used in this facility will use low amounts of energy and help more materials be produced at lower cost.

"We have a multi-million dollar lab and we're proud," Kendall said. "You will see things in this lab that you will not see at any other university. The nonwoven lab, the research and Ramkumar represent world class work. It's easy to say and hard to do."

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