Award Data

NASA aerocapture missions require an accurate evaluation of radiative thermal transport in order to simulate the aerothermal environment around space vehicles. However, present day computation of radiative transport in this complex multi-dimensional environment is frequently done using simple one-dimensional tangent-slab approximations or optically-thick approximations which compromise the accura ...

New fire barrier methods are necessary to protect furniture and mattresses from fire. Current California (and soon National) regulations require mattresses to be able to pass the mattress fire burn test. Typical barrier fabrics use self extinguishing fibers with high limiting oxygen index (LOI) to create a barrier that the flame cannot pass. A second approach creates a carbon barrier that is forme ...