Award Data

An aqueous-based finish (sizing) was developed in Phase I to improve the carbon/vinyl ester interfacial bond. The finish is composed of a reactive coupling agent, a low viscosity vinyl ester resin, a free radical inhibitor, and a surfactant. The reactive finishes substantially improved the carbon/vinyl ester interface compared to unsized or FOE sized materials. Failure mode analysis shows that ...

New high-temperature sizings are needed to improve the properties and durability of carbon/polyimide composites. Compatibility with weaving and braiding operations and improved wetting during prepregging or resin infusing polyimide resin is also needed. Achieving these characteristics will result in reducing life cycle costs for jet engine composites through better property translation, reduced ...

High-temperature (HT) polymer matrix composites (PMCs) are desired for many aerospace and military applications. Silicon carbide (SiC) fibers provide a potentially attractive reinforcement for HT PMCs for applications ranging from propulsion systems to structures for the orbiting space plane. The sizings routinely added to commercial SiC fibers are not compatible with the new HT matrix resins. ...

Phase I results showed that two surface treatments, oxidative plasma and reactive finishes, are effective means of modifying the surface chemistry of exfoliated graphite nanoflakes. The surface modifications provide a more compatible surface energy for dispersion in polymers and create well-bonded interfaces with the polymer matrix. In order to be cost effective for NASA and commercial applicati ...

NASA has numerous requirements for in-space repair capabilities to aid future missions beyond earth orbit. A subset of these requirements is adhesive patch materials that provide permanent or temporary repair of a wide variety of surfaces with minimal surface preparation. Prior work on light (UV and visible) curing composite matrix resins for rigidizing inflatable spacecraft shows that there is ...

The Navy intends to start using a significant quantity of composite structures in surface ship construction in an effort to decrease costs as well as to reduce the visibility of the ships to radar. The large size of the target structures necessitates the use of low temperature, non-autoclave processing techniques such as Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM). In the recent past, most m ...

Applied Technology Associates (ATA) proposes to develop a new inertial sensor by combining two sensing phenomena in a single device. ATA has patented an advanced inertial sensing technology based on magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). Numerous researchers have patented and developed micro-electromechanical sensors (MEMS) that measures inertial angular motions. We believe that a composite sensor based o ...

Diamond Data Systems (DDS) proposes the development of a new advanced architecture, algorithms and software to support the end-to-end processing of LIDAR data to derive useful information products such as Digital Elevation Models (DEM). The approach is innovative in three ways. First, it proposes a complete end-to-end system instead of a solution that addresses only a single step of the complex ...

The objective for this program is to increase the technical readiness level (TRL) of a Return Fuel Air Cooled (RFAC) heat exchanger (HX) based on Mezzo Technologies' proprietary microchannel technology to TRL 6 and an Oil/Fuel HX to a TRL 5. Mezzo will team with Lockheed Martin on this program. The target application for this program will be the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

This completed project (phase I & II) will utilize Lumidigm's multispectral imaging platform to create a biometric device that can be efficiently slid under a sailor's battle dress to authenticate identification. Phase I will include designing an ergonomically viable device where multispectral images can be collected under a sailor's battle dress. Data will be collected utilizing Lumidigm's exis ...