SM2ART

The Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Alliance for Renewable Technologies (SM²ART) is a public-private partnership creating an infrastructure-scale factory of the future where sustainable manufacturing thrives through the innovative use of bio-based materials and products.

Established in 2016, SM²ART has seamlessly integrated the expansive advanced manufacturing capabilities of Oak Ridge National Laboratory with the specialized expertise in bio-based composites from the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center. Evolving from this collaborative foundation, SM²ART has forged more than 50 industry partnerships across the country.

SM²ART is supported by DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office and has the following goals:

Developing platform technologies for functionalized, bio-based composites that are optimized for advanced manufacturing.
Transforming and expanding existing bio-materials supply chains to enable low-cost materials.
Expanding on a strong culture of industrial collaboration to leverage leading world-class research and deployment institutions and spin off next-gen technologies.
Demonstrating and scaling-up sustainable materials and net-zero manufacturing.
Leveraging workforce development programs to build next-generation leaders through experiential learning and entrepreneurial training programs.

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Research & Development

SM²ART teams are conducting fundamental research for biobased feedstock design and development, including cellulose nanofibril (CNF) production, drying, functionalization, compounding with thermoplastics, multi-scale modeling, and life-cycle analysis. Materials are put to the test through a variety of construction projects at varying scales using large-area advanced manufacturing, from buildings to bridges to floating offshore wind platforms.

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SM²ART works alongside industry to increase adoption of these new bio-based feedstocks, reinvigorate the nation’s forestry industry with new jobs, and cost-effectively decarbonize manufacturing. The SM²ART team’s work aligns with the U.S. DOE Affordable Home Energy Shot that aims to decarbonize and reduce energy bills of the nation’s residential buildings by 20 percent within a decade.

Workforce Development

SM²ART is developing a talent pipeline to maximize workforce development efforts. The Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates program provides hands-on learning through immersive research projects at both institutions. Many students are also engaged in ongoing DOE-support projects related to offshore wind energy and bio-based materials design and development.

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Industry Engagement

A Technical Collaboration program enables SM²ART to collaborate with more than a dozen industry partners on short-term agreements across the agriculture, construction, energy production, forestry, and marine sectors.

Learn more about SM2ART industry opportunities

Connect with SM²ART’s technical collaboration coordinators:

Dan Coughlin (ORNL) or Greg Simms (UMaine).

BioHome 3D team wins CAMX Combined Strength Award

In 2023, the SM²ART team won the CAMX Combined Strength award and the SME Aubin AM Case Study award for the BioHome3D project, the nation’s first 3D printed home made entirely from biobased materials.