Award Data

The objective of this proposal is to develop enabling technology for the production of bulk scintillating nanocomposites that have gamma radiation detection properties of single crystal NaI but with the manufacturability of plastic scintillators. These performance criteria may be met by developing nanoparticle polymer composites with ultra-high nanoparticle loadings. These ‘ultra-composites’ w ...

Analysis of nuclear material samples in the field has many advantages over laboratory analysis. Laboratory analyses can be slow, involve increased expense, lead to additional waste generation and disposal problems, and may introduce errors due to sample degradation or mishandling. In situ analysis mitigates all of these problems. The specific aim of this project is the development of a truly por ...

STANDARD MONTE CARLO AND FN METHODS FOR RADIATION TRANSPORT WILL BE USED TO STUDY A NEWLY PROPOSED SHIELD CONFIGURATION FOR PROTECTION AGAINST PARALLEL OR SLIGHTLY DIVERING GAMA RAY BEAMS IN A SPACE (NON-SCATTTERING) ENVIRONMENT. THE NEW CONFIGURATION EMPLOYS LAYERED SHIELDS, WITH CONSIDERABLE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE LAYERS, TO SHADOW THE TARGET, OF THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE DIRECTION OF INCIDENCE IS ...

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This SBIR project proposes a new approach to making liquid fuels from cellulosic biomass sources (a Biomass-to-Liquids or "BTL" process) that would significantly reduce the cost and complexity of production. The project uses innovative chemistry and reactor designs to enhance efficiency, selectivity, and reduce operating condition severity. Phase I aims to demonstrate process feasibility by determ ...

MILLIONS OF ACRES OF UNMANAGED PRIVATE NON-INDUSTRIAL FORESTLAND ACROSS THE RURAL SOUTH PRESENT AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPOR- TUNITY TO CREATE NEW BUSINESSES AND JOBS. MOST PRESENT FORESTRY CONTRACTORS WHO PROVIDE SERVICES SUCH AS TIMBER HARVESTING AND SITE PREPARATION OPERATE WITH EQUIPMENT TOO LARGE AND INEFFICIENT FOR LANDOWNERS. TO ASSIST LANDOWNERS IN BEGINNING INTENSIVE MANAGEMENT, ADDITIONAL NEW ...

Our firm has been cooperating with engineers and scientists to develop materials that can be made from shredded woody debris. Field work during those projects put us in contact with many contractors and community-based organizations who were frustrated with the lack of markets for "chipped" woody biomass. We found that most community-based wildfire protection program leaders were unaware of the qu ...

SPIRULINA ALGAE WILL BE USED AS A MEANS TO RECOVER NUTRIENTS FROM INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER. AT THE SAME TIME, THE ALGAE WILL RENOVATE THE WASTEWATER IN A COST-EFFECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE MANNER ALLOWING RESEARCHERS TO HARVEST AN ECONOMICAL, RELIABLE AND SAFE SUPPLY OF PRO- TEIN. COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS OF THIS CONCEPT INCLUDE PRODUCTION AND SALE OF A HIGH PROTEIN ALGAE FOOD OR FEED AS WELL AS ...

PROBLEM: Efforts to control balsam woolly adelgids (BWA) with conventional pesticides have failed, and natural enemy populations are too sparse to effectively control BWA, an exotic pest destroying natural and cultivated firs in the US, including Fraser firs in Christmas tree plantations. We propose to develop the technology for a diet-based mass rearing system for brown lacewings to control BWA i ...

The demand for seafood in the United States is increasing and will continue to increase. Recent federal health guidelines call for Americans to double their consumption of seafood. The U.S. would need an additional 4 to 6 million metric tons of seafood per year over current levels if we doubled our consumption. If consumption remains at the current per capita levels, the U.S. will still require an ...