In this Phase I effort, Touchtone Research Laberatory will manufacture, test and demonstrate seveal unique attributes of a coal-based carbon foam for use as a fireblock material in laminated composite structures. The carbon foam has several unique attributes, including: hihg thermal insulation… More

A material which is stronger than conventional aluminum, less permeable to liquid hydrogen than polymer matrix composites (PMCs), less flammable that PMCs in the presence of liquid oxygen, and can be made into large, complex shapes without an autoclave, would have a significant advantage over… More

An opportunity exists to combine the structural elements of advanced launch vehicles with their thermal protection system (TPS) to create an integrated system, free of parasitic stand-offs and supports. An attractive approach, based on the marriage of two exciting technologies: continuously-brazed… More

The next generation of reusable launch vehicle and satellite structures require new materials to meet aggressive program objectives such as decreasing vehicle weight in order to increase payload, and reducing cost per launch in order to decrease cost per pound of payload. Materials which have… More

The next generation of reusable launch vehicle and satellite structures require new materials to meet aggressive program objectives such as decreasing vehicle weight in order to increase payload, and reducing cost per launch in order to decrease cost per pound of payload. Materials which have… More

NASA is interested in innovative manufacturing methods and materials that will significantly reduce the cost and weight of general aviation aircraft, while improving cabin comfort and crash-worthiness. Energy absorption, in the form of projectile impact and crash protection, and fire resistance are… More

NASA is interested in innovative manufacturing methods and materials that will significantly reduce the cost and weight of general aviation aircraft, while improving cabin comfort and crash-worthiness. Energy absorption, in the form of projectile impact and crash protection, and fire resistance are… More

60443 High-performance batteries and fuel cells can lessen the nation¿s dependence on combustion engines, reduce vehicular emission, and positively impact the electronics market. However, the implementation of many of these technologies is hindered by the material performance of… More

60443 High-performance batteries and fuel cells can lessen the nation¿s dependence on combustion engines, reduce vehicular emission, and positively impact the electronics market. However, the implementation of many of these technologies is hindered by the material performance of… More

"The Missile Defense Agency has a need for innovative processes that will improve manufacturing capabilities, product quality and reliability, reduce unit costs and enhance manufacturing yields and subsystems and component performance. Carbon foam hasdemonstrated numerous properties that make it a… More

"The U.S. Navy is striving to find ways to build more ships for the same dollar and at the same time improve performance. This requires lower ship acquisition and life cycle costs. To achieve these goals, the Navy and its shipbuilders have implementedvarious initiatives, many under the domain of… More

"Innovative materials and manufacturing processes are required to meet the performance and cost objectives of current space-based NMD and TMD system programs. One example is the use of polymer matrix composites for the reactant storage tanks aboard theLaser Payload Element (LPE) of the Space Based… More

"Several current and upcoming space-based telescope and laser beam director designs, such as the Next-Generation Space Telescope and the Space-Based Laser, call for large aperture optical components, often tens of meters in diameter. Using conventionalmirror/director technologies, the cost and… More

The Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) ballistic missile defense system is made up of a variety of components including land- and sea-based missiles, satellites, and space-based laser, all part of the Theater and National Missiles Defense Systems. Reusablehypersonic and reentry vehicles are being… More

"The Navy is planning to integrate composite structures into the new CV(X) and DD(X) ship class designs. The structures and components will provide an inherent weight savings and are more corrosion-resistant than current steel structures. Currently,composite structures do not provide the same… More

Lightweight Sandwich Structure Panels for Space Applications The ballistic missile defense system is made up of a variety of components including land-based missiles, satellites, and space based laser. Minimum weight structures are needed, maximizingdisplacement, mechanical strength, reliability,… More

Innovative materials and manufacturing processes are required to meet the performance and cost objectives of current space-based NMD and TMD system programs. One example is the use of polymer matrix composites for the reactant storage tanks aboard theLaser Payload Element (LPE) of the Space Based… More

Several current and upcoming space-based telescope and laser beam director designs, such as the Next-Generation Space Telescope (NGST) and the Airborne Laser (ABL), call for lightweight, high-stiffness optical components. Using conventionalmirror/director technologies, the cost and weight of these… More

The Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) ballistic missile defense system is made up of a variety of components including land- and sea-based missiles, satellites, and space-based laser, all part of the Theater and National Missiles Defense Systems. Reusablehypersonic and reentry vehicles are being… More

Innovative rocket motor case materials and manufacturing processes are required to drive improvements in performance and price of today's rocket motors. Currently evolving missile designs, for example the Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile(AMRAAM), are moving towards higher pressures, higher… More

The Navy's new ship classes, CV(N) and DD(X), require low Radar Cross Section (RCS) composite structures that provide: corrosion resistance; excellent (>60dB) EM shielding effectiveness in the 100kHz to 20Ghz frequency range; fulfillment of Navyrequirements of Fire, Toxicity, and Smoke (FST); and… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory and its partners propose to investigate the utilization of lightweight and efficient carbon foam for heat exchangers in aircraft. In general, carbon foams have the potential to be a revolutionary material in aerospace due totheir light weight and thermal management… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory and its partner, Alliant Aerospace Company (ATK), propose to investigate the utilization of lightweight carbon foam cores in composite load-bearing structures. CFOAMr has the potential to be a revolutionary material inaerospace structures, significantly reducing costs… More

Construction of aerospace structures such as aircraft fuselages, missile surfaces, rocket motors, and satellites is moving to carbon fiber-reinforced thermoset and thermoplastic resins, resulting in higher strength-to-weight ratio and becoming less subjectto corrosion and fatigue. Composite… More

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop composites of aluminum with intermetallic reinforcements. These are important for products that demand higher strength and more ease in processing than is currently available in metal/ceramic discontinuously reinforced aluminum … More

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a Micro-Force Test Apparatus inside a Scanning Electron Microscope to better learn the micromechanical properties of materials and MEMS devices. The project will explore mechanical properties of MEMS devices as well as individual… More

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project addresses the topic of Ballistic Missile Systems Innovative Propulsion Products, MDA03-055. The use of carbon foam as a liner and/or nozzle material with desirable structural and thermal conductivityproperties will be investigated. CFOAMr has… More

The Missile Defense Agency has a need for innovative products that demonstrate advances in phased array radar technologies that will support existing Missile Defense (MD), and other radar system architectures. This effort will identify and developrevolutionary radar performance and cost enhancements… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory is currently producing carbon foam in its pilot production facility. In the Phase I feasibility study, Touchstone identified opportunities to reduce the production cycle by combining manufacturing processes. The results indicated that a batch foaming process was… More

Innovative rocket motor case materials and manufacturing processes are required to drive improvements in performance of today's rocket motors. Currently evolving missile designs, for example the Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM), are moving towards higher pressures, higher and… More

A newly developed "coal-based" porous graphite material has been recently produced. This development is a direct result of Touchstone Research Laboratory's Phase I funding to develop enhanced-strength carbon foam heat-exchanger materials for aerospace applications since low density carbon foams… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory has developed a novel material, CFOAMr. The primary enabling carbon foam characteristic is that the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) values are comparable to carbon fiber polymer matrix systems in manufacturing advanced composites. Other advantages of carbon… More

Lightweight and structurally strong carbon foam will be integrated with an inexpensive, super insulating carbon or silica aerogel resulting in a new material that, when combined, will increase performance over either material individually. MDA has a need for thermal protection systems to withstand… More

Beryllium commands a unique position as a metal for engineering applications. It exhibits high thermal conductivity, modest thermal expansion, combines a high elastic modulus with a low density to exhibit an unsurpassed specific stiffness (modulus/density). However, the attributes of Be and its… More

This project addresses the topic of Reduction of Ground Vehicle Observables. The use of carbon foam to reduce engine-related observables will be investigated. Carbon foam offers high specific thermal conductivity while providing better structural properties at elevated temperatures than… More

The Navy has a need for an innovative, cost effective replacement of Electronic Warfare (EW) system antenna enclosures to meet an extended service life and source newly constructed systems. These enclosures serve to protect detection electronics from severe marine environments. The enclosures are… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory has developed a novel material, CFOAMr, with the ability to reduce the thermal signature of exhaust ducting. The primary enabling carbon foam characteristic is tailorable specific thermal conductivity while providing better structural properties at elevated… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory and Aspen Aerogels have teamed to create a new carbon composite material comprised of Touchstone's carbon foam (CFOAM) and carbon aerogel. Phase I demonstrated the feasibility of manufacturing on a laboratory scale and included foam and aerogel compositional… More

The Army has a need to identify, develop, test, and validate an electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppression technology and associated implementation processes that, when applied to U.S. Army combat helicopter avionics equipment modifications or upgrades, eliminate or drastically reduce the need… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd. has proposed a thermal management system made of its novel material CFOAMr for a 50kWe logistic-fuel reforming processor for PEM fuel cells with the capability of scaling up to 500kWe system. This system passively controls the cooling of gas from 500¿C to… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory proposes to investigate use of a CFOAM core in a sandwich panel configuration for an all-composite, low-cost, lightweight, EMI-shielded Rigid Wall Relocatable Structure (RWRS). Carbon foam offers excellent EMI shielding properties due to its high electrical… More

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is seeking innovative manufacturing approaches that dramatically increase production rates and reduce program costs for composite parts which are integral portions of advanced missile defense designs. Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd. has developed a novel… More

The overall objective of the proposed effort is to develop a solid rocket motor case based on metal matrix composites that will support compliance with insensitive munitions (IM) requirements while maintaining or increasing rocket motor performance. The Phase I effort will focus on developing… More

Magnesium (Mg) matrix composites are attractive for various structural applications due to their excellent specific properties. The proposed work involves developing a new type of Mg matrix composite with intermetallic particulate reinforcement that is produced by standard rapid solidification and… More

The purpose of this project is to determine the feasibility of utilizing metal matrix composite (MMC) filament winding for manufacturing missile components for BMD systems. Through this effort Touchstone will demonstrate an innovative manufacturing process for advanced MMC materials that will… More

The overall objective of the proposed effort is to develop a solid rocket motor case based on metal matrix composites that will support compliance with insensitive munitions (IM) requirements while maintaining or increasing rocket motor performance. The Phase I effort focused on modifying and… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory is proposing to develop CFOAM-LW precursor carbon foam that can be used as structural fire protection on Navy ships. CFOAM-LW precursor carbon foam has the potential to significantly reduce weight and installation costs over current state-of-the-art material systems. … More

The proposed work will be directed towards developing aluminum-based crystalline and glassy/amorphous coating using thermal spray techniques (plasma and cold spray) for the corrosion protection of high-strength aluminum alloys (2024 and 7075). The coating material should be anodic to the base… More

The purpose of this project is to determine the feasibility of utilizing metal matrix composite (MMC) prepreg tape material, either by itself or in combination with other materials, as a means of selectively reinforcing aluminum structures that comprise the superstructure of Air Cushion Vehicles… More

In order for the products of coal gasification to be widely used, industrial users of syngas must be assured that equal performance and significant economic benefits can be realized when switching from natural gas. To meet this objective, industrial combustion equipment must be shown to operate… More

The overall objective of the proposed effort is to develop a solid rocket motor case based on metal matrix composites that will maintain or increase the performance of Navy rocket motors and improve compliance with insensitive munitions (IM) requirements. The Phase I effort focused on design trade… More

This proposal addresses NASA's need for improved TPS materials. The incumbent CEV heatshield TPS for Orion's Block II lunar return is PICA, a low-density carbon fiber infiltrated with phenolic resin. Variants of PICA with improved thermomechanical properties would benefit future missions. This… More

The objective of proposed Phase I study is to demonstrate feasibility of alloy design for corrosion resistance of aircraft aluminum alloys via the computational optimization route. The basic methodology involves the use of experimental corrosion data of relevant alloys over a wide range of… More

The biofuels industry is currently suffering from high feedstock costs that are hampering their widespread utilization as primary transportation fuels. In addition, the use of crops that are also an important food source is unsustainable and has already dramatically raised prices for soybean and… More

The objective of this proposed Phase I study is to develop an alternate production practice for high-strength aircraft aluminum alloys via an experimental layering process in order to enhance stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance. The basic operational processing procedure is to produce… More

The objective of the proposed SBIR Phase I study is to evolve an aluminum alloy (7xxx series) with superior corrosion resistance and mechanical properties making use of computational tools. The methodology of this approach is to obtain corrosion data from the literature as input data and then… More

This proposal addresses NASA's need for non-autoclave composites manufacture. The Constellation program, including the Ares V launch vehicle, will require very large-scale structures and conventional autoclave-based composites which are very costly and suffer from logistical problems. Out of… More

The proposed STTR Phase I study is aimed at exploring lightweight and multi-layer materials towards enhancing their armor performance. Different Al alloys will be assembled into a two-layer configuration with good metallic bond between inter-layers. 2139-T8 Al alloy evolved by efforts of Alcan and… More

Many of the coal gasification technologies that exist today produce a low-methane content syngas that is high in carbon monoxide and hydrogen. New gasifier designs are needed to produce a high-methane-content syngas that can be more easily utilized by industrial users, upgraded to synthetic natural… More

Extreme heating conditions of future MDA missions are too severe for existing low-density systems (i.e., PICA - Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator); and existing high-density systems (i.e., carbon-carbon, carbon-phenolic) are too heavy and thermally inefficient. The proposed effort seeks to… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd. (Touchstone) has developed a novel and innovative Out-of-Autoclave (OOA) composites manufacturing process with an electrically heated carbon foam tooling system. Electrically Heated Tooling (EHT) utilizes a coal-based carbon foam (CFOAMREG) core that serves as… More

Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) materials offer tremendous potential for lightweight propellant and pressurant tankage for space applications. Thin MMC liners for COPVs would have enough strength to withstand tensile loading at maximum expected operating pressure (MEOP) and compressive loading at zero… More

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has identified a need to reduce weight and improve manufacturability to insure cost effectiveness for structural components of its missile interceptors. Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd. (Touchstone) and San Diego Composites (SDC) have teamed to combine their… More

This SBIR Phase I project will substantiate the merits of using specific organisms to convert microalgae into biofuel. Specifically, it will utilize a naturally occurring and highly efficient organism, zooplankton, for the conversion. The project plans to measure the microalgae conversion… More

Industrial high-temperature furnace insulation materials currently consist of either carbon or graphite in various forms. Due to these limited materials choices, the results include significant heat loss, expensive maintenance costs incurred due to frequent replacement of the carbon insulation, and… More

Industrial high-temperature furnace insulation materials currently consist of either carbon or graphite in various forms. Due to these limited materials choices, the results include significant heat loss, expensive maintenance costs incurred due to frequent replacement of the carbon insulation, and… More

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs) are used for storing pressurized gases on board spacecraft when mass saving is a key requirement. All future mass critical space applications will be designed to use COPVs to minimize vehicle mass. Saving mass is critical for facilitating deep space… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory, along with Alcan Rolled ProductsÂ? Ravenswood WV, has identified the Aluminum-Lithium Alloy 2050 as a potentially game-changing material replacement for current space structural alloys such as Aluminum-Lithium alloy 2195. AA2050 is available in significantly thicker… More

Because of their high strength-to-weight ratios, engineered polymers are often used as substitutes for structural members in various applications in aerospace markets due to their reduced fuel consumption; however, high materials and fabrication costs make them cost-prohibitive for wide-spread… More

The proposed STTR Phase II study is aimed at exploring lightweight and multi-layer materials towards enhancing their armor performance. Different Al alloys will be assembled into a multi-layer configuration with good metallic bond between inter-layers. 2139-T8 Al alloy evolved by efforts of Alcan… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd (Touchstone) is proposing to use a building-block approach to develop an innovative all-composite solution to solve the Calcium Hypochlorite storage locker problem that the Navy is currently facing. An all-composite storage locker will eliminate corrosion… More

The objective of this proposed Phase II work is to develop a production method for manufacturing rolled plates of a high-strength aircraft aluminum alloy (7075) with high SCC (stress corrosion cracking) resistance. The corrosion resistance is to be improved without a loss in tensile strength. The… More

The overall objective of the proposed effort is to develop an improved ultrasonic consolidation process for metal matrix composites (MMCs). This will be done through the development and validation of multiscale models of the bonding process and the laminated structures produced. These models will… More

The United States Navy has identified the need to investigate the use of auxetic fabric for military personnel protective clothing including jackets, shirts, pants, helmets, boots, gloves, and even body armor. Auxetic fabric technology has a unique feature in that it exhibits a negative… More

Touchstone proposes an innovative solution to the composite overwrapped helium tank that will lower the cost and reduce the weight. The current configuration consists of storage tank for the fuel, the oxidizer, and a gas that is used to pressurize the fuel and oxidizer. The gas tank design… More

Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd. proposes to develop a composite tooling technology based on its CFOAM structural carbon foam as a core material with High Performance Cement (HPC) coatings. This approach will evaluate low CTE HPC coatings that have previously demonstrated a high degree of… More