Company
Portfolio Data
Back to Company SearchNALAS ENGINEERING SERVICES INC
UEI: PYMEMM1KGKY1
Number of Employees: 66
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: Yes
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
SBIR/STTR Involvement
Year of first award: 2010
16
Phase I Awards
10
Phase II Awards
62.5%
Conversion Rate
$2,005,338
Phase I Dollars
$12,789,871
Phase II Dollars
$14,795,209
Total Awarded
Awards
Vat polymerization materials for AM of gun propellants
Amount: $1,149,972 Topic: A21C-T003
The US ArmyĀandĀDepartment of Defense (DoD)Āhave been investingĀin the development of energetic materials for use in additive manufacturing (AM) for propellants.Ā Nalas Engineering Services, Inc. (Nalas) is partnering with Dr. Lori Groven at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) to develop revolutionary liquid resin systems for use in AM, specifically Vat polymerization, aĀUV light-based curing technology.Ā The focus of NalasÆ workĀwill be to scale up novel liquid energetic monomers which offer the ability to reduce the amount of energetic solid ingredients (or fill) that typically would be required to achieve a final printed part with desired propellant performance.Ā Dr. GrovenÆs team will incorporate the novel monomers into vat resins, then buildĀ3D printed test pieces to be evaluated forĀperformance and final mechanical and combustion properties. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop scalable, affordable vat polymerization resins that can be used in additive manufacturing to build propellants with impetus of at least 950 J/g but more closely targeting 1100 J/g.Ā These impetus targets are necessary for the printed propellants to compete with traditional propellants such as JA2 and M31A2.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase II
2024
DOD
ARMY
Continuous Flow Recrystallization of HMX
Amount: $1,249,938 Topic: AF224-D008
Continuous flow recrystallization presents one of the largest challenges and opportunities in continuous flow preparation of nitramines. The pharmaceutical industry has demonstrated use of continuous flow recrystallization to result in improved purity, particle size control and particle size distribution (PSD). This project aims to develop continuous flow recrystallization strategies for direct recrystallization to both coarse and fine grades of HMX class sizes (eliminating grinding steps) with tighter particle size distribution, greater process control and improved process waste profiles while retaining the desired polymorph. This proposed work includes evaluation of several technologies and methodologies for continuous recrystallization of the energetic nitramine octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX). The most promising continuous crystallization platform and methodology will be down-selected for both fine and coarse material and further characterized via an optimized design of experiments (DoE). The desired output of the DoE will be identification of process parameters which influence mean particle size and optimal conditions to recrystallize HMX into specific sizes. Selection of recrystallization process parameters designed to tailor particle size of HMX will enable different size classes of HMX, as well as any desired specialized PSD without the requirement to sieve or mill the recrystallized material.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2023
DOD
USAF
Design of a Modular Platform for Advanced Synthesis of Energetic Materials
Amount: $249,869 Topic: OSD21C-003
Modular continuous processes are the future of chemical process development and chemical manufacturing. They enable faster time to market, improved safety, lower costs, and enhanced flexibility over traditional batch processes. Proposed work under this topic includes the design of a modular system for synthesis of many energetic materials, energetic precursors, and critical chemicals. Modules that are proposed for use in this platform include reactor technologies such as plug flow reactors (PFRs), microfluidic reactors (e.g. AFRs), continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs), electrochemical and photochemical reactors, batch/semi-batch/semi-continuous reactors, pumping and pressure transfer modules, solid feeders and work-up modules such as liquid/liquid separators, continuous oscillatory baffled crystallizers, continuous filters (e.g. belt filters or centrifuges). Support of the module design will include research into modern, continuous electrochemical routes for synthesis of energetic materials and critical chemicals. Module design under the Phase I Base will include process flow diagrams (PFDs), engineering calculations, scale-up design, and cost analyses. Module design under Phase I Option will include fabrication of process and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) as well as Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings. A future Phase II effort would consist of fabrication and demonstration of the modular system for synthesis of target materials of interest.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase I
2022
DOD
OSD
Development of Energetic Polymer Systems for Additive Manufacturing Energetic Formulations
Amount: $172,923 Topic: A21C-T004
The US Army is investing in the development of energetic materials for use in additive manufacturing (AM) for explosive and propellant applications in an ongoing effort to achieve extended range and lethality overmatch. Currently, all commercially available monomers, polymers or resin systems for AM are non-energetic. To use these in 3D printing applications for propellants and/or explosives, one must add energetic materials, typically solids. Adding energetic solids to a resin typically increases viscosity, causes settling, impedes curing mechanisms, as well as other issues that must be addressed. Nalas Engineering is partnering with Dr. Lori Groven at South Dakota School of Mines to develop novel energetic monomers for use in additive manufacturing. The focus of Nalas’ effort in the collaboration will be to synthesize novel energetic monomers which offer the ability to dramatically reduce the amount of energetic solid ingredients that might be needed to build a printed part with desired performance. Dr. Groven’s team will incorporate the novel monomers into liquid resins, followed by 3D printing test pieces for evaluations of the performance and mechanical properties. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop scalable, affordable energetic monomers to enable high performance additive manufacturing of explosives and propellants.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase I
2022
DOD
ARMY
Development of Vat Polymerization Materials for Additive Manufacturing of Gun Propellant
Amount: $172,995 Topic: A21C-T003
The US Army and Department of Defense are continuing in their investment in the development of energetic materials for use in additive manufacturing (AM) for propellants. Nalas Engineering is partnering with Dr. Lori Groven at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology to develop innovative liquid resin systems for use in additive manufacturing, specifically UV light-based curing technologies, for vat polymerization. The focus of Nalas’ work on the collaboration will be to synthesize novel energetic monomers which offer the ability to reduce the amount of energetic solid ingredients (or fill) that typically would be required to achieve a final printed part with desired propellant performance. Dr. Groven’s team will incorporate the novel monomers into vat resins. They will also build 3D printed test pieces for evaluating performance and final mechanical properties of the vat resins. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop scalable, affordable vat polymerization resins that can be used in additive manufacturing to build propellants with impetus of at least 950 J/g, with a goal of reaching 1100 J/g. These impetus targets are necessary for the printed propellants to compete with traditional propellants such as JA2 and M31A2.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase I
2022
DOD
ARMY
Manufacturing Technology Development for Production of Nitrate Salts
Amount: $99,872 Topic: DLA222-005
The DoD has identified a deficiency in the Industrial Base for the supply of various nitrate salts, specifically potassium, barium, strontium and lead nitrate. There appears to be insufficient domestic manufacturing capacity to meet the DoD’s needs for these salts. Without a trusted and reliable domestic industrial base supplier of these materials, there is a serious threat to warfighter preparedness and national security. Potassium nitrate exhibits the highest criticality of the aforementioned nitrate salts and potentially the highest usage in the DoD, thus will be the sole focus of this Phase I effort. Not only will the Phase I focus on the synthesis of potassium nitrate, but also on the application of modern analytical processes in an effort to help the DoD update the military specification and avoid time-consuming and outdated analytical methods, some of which use radioactive or toxic materials. The final objective of this Phase I will be a conceptual design for a system to manufacture potassium nitrate. As part of this effort, Nalas will evaluate the potential for all salt processes to share a common manufacturing platform due to the small volumes of nitrate salts required by the US government.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2022
DOD
DLA
Development of Advanced Continuous Flow Recrystallization Processes for Energetic Nitramines
Amount: $111,482 Topic: A20-101
The focus of the Phase 1 work is to provide a thorough and complete evaluation of several competing technologies and methodologies for the continuous recrystallization of the energetic materials 1,3,5-trinitrohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX). Technologies for consideration include mixed suspension mixed product removal (MSMPR) which may consist of a cascade of continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) or oscillatory baffled reactors (OBR). Continuous flow recrystallization will be evaluated using an oscillatory flow reactor (OFR) in the form of NiTech’s continuous oscillatory baffled reactor/crystallizer (COBR/C). The feasibility of using each of these technologies for continuous crystallization of RDX and HMX will be evaluated, with initial studies evaluating each platform for its ability to reliably produce a narrow particle size distribution and its capability to tailor resulting particle size. This approach will ensure the continuous crystallization space is expansively covered, giving the best possible opportunity for success. The most promising continuous crystallization platform and methodology will then be down-selected and further characterized via an optimized design of experiments (DoE) under the Phase 1 Option. This will identify process parameters which influence mean particle size and determine the most optimal conditions to crystallize specific sizes of RDX and HMX. The ultimate goal is to develop a continuous flow recrystallization process that can produce α-RDX and β-HMX in the desired crystal morphology, with a narrow particle size distribution, and a tailorable particle size. The tailorable particle size will allow the input of different crystallization process parameters which result in a desired particle size of RDX and HMX. This will provide the ability to meet different size classes of RDX and HMX, as well as any desired specialized without the requirement to sieve or mill the recrystallized material.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2021
DOD
ARMY
Environmentally Friendly Alternative Synthesis and Process to Manufacture Cost-Effective Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20)
Amount: $1,599,996 Topic: N141-017
Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) is the most powerful conventional explosive known, but its high cost has limited its adoption in a range of potential applications. Part of the challenge in making these materials is the complexity of the reaction used to prepare the polycyclic cage. The complexity of this reaction makes it difficult to have insight into the reaction and to improve it. Additionally, several of the intermediates and reaction (by)products are challenging analyze with typical analytical techniques such as RP-HPLC. In the research program proposed herein, we would apply cutting-edge analytical techniques in combination with flow chemistry techniques to collect detailed data about the relevant chemical reactions while also enabling access to process conditions that would be inaccessible using batch techniques.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2019
DOD
NAVY
High Performance Energetic Propellant Ingredient Process Research and Development
Amount: $1,981,016 Topic: N16A-T021
CL-20 is the most powerful conventional explosive known, but its high cost has limited its adoption in a range of potential applications. Par of the challenge in making these materials is the complexity of the reaction used to prepare the polycyclic cage. The complexity of this reaction makes it difficult to have insight into the reaction and to improve it. Additionally, several of the intermediates and reaction byproducts are challenging to analyze with typical analytical techniques. In the research program proposed, we would apply cutting edge analytical techniques in combination with flow chemistry techniques to collect detailed data about the relevant chemical reactions, while also enabling access to process conditions that would not be accessible using batch conditions.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase II
2018
DOD
NAVY
Production of Chemical Reagents for Prompt-Agent-Defeat Weapons
Amount: $995,819 Topic: DTRA14B-001
Nalas Engineering and Johns Hopkins University collaborated in a Phase I STTR program to study reactive mixtures of HI3O8 and nanocomposite fuels previously developed by the Weihs Group. These fuel/oxidizer mixtures are uniquely able to simultaneously produce heat and biocidal iodine gas, a combination designed to destroy biological weapons. The team at Nalas focused on evaluating conditions for preparing HI3O8 with control over the particle size distribution, while the Weihs Group focused on studying how these fuel/oxidizer mixtures behave in small-scale testing. The results of that Phase I program provide the foundation for developing conditions to prepare high-quality HI3O8 on the kilogram-scale to support ongoing testing, and to develop formulations of this fuel/oxidizer mixture that would be suitable for application to an end item in which this material would be set around an explosive charge. In the Phase II STTR , we will advance the development of these unique fuel/oxidizer materials to kilogram-scale production, formulation on the ten-gram scale, and testing of larger articles to facilitate down-selection to a material that can be carried forward for further development.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase II
2017
DOD
DTRA