Award Data

"Chronic malnourishment globally affects more than 800 million people with an expected population growth of another 2 billion over the next 30 years. Today, aquaculture accounts for nearly 50 percent of the world’s food fish and is one of the fastest growing food-producing sectors. The biggest threat to global aquaculture production is infectious disease. While marine diseases are a naturally oc ...

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has a need to better understand grain boundaries (GB) to produce additively manufactured (AM) parts with more predictable mechanical behavior. Texas Research Institute Austin (TRI-Austin) proposes to develop an ultrasonic (UT) system capable of altering the microstructure of metallic systems during the AM process while being monitored in-situ using Laser Acoustic ...

Current traditional radiation detection (neutron detection) components are limited in utilization and need improvements. The Government aims to explore the use of new materials in radiation detection applications, and is seeking the development of a proof of concept solution for at least one new sensor material. Lynntech has developed a material that can improve the state-of-the art in neutron det ...

We aim to demonstrate the operation of a highly efficient direct thermal neutron detector using isotopically enriched icosahedral Boron Arsenide (B12As2) semiconducting thin film-based device. Schottky and PN junctions using p-type B12As2 thin films are proposed to evaluate the feasibility of our approach. Alpha particles generated as the result of the transmutation reaction of thermal neutrons w ...

Texas Research Institute Austin (TRI Austin) will develop a fast acting, strong, tough, adhesive that will bond underwater without extensive surface preparations. TRI Austin will formulate the adhesive to optimize setup time, establish charge weight for the adhesive to reduce adhesive underwater preparation time, and develop the procedures for using the adhesive to bond coral to reef substrates. A ...

Nanohmics, Inc. proposes to develop the most sensitive antibody and/or DNA aptamer‐quantum dot (Qdot)‐based lateral flow (LF) test strips possible for detection of harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins in fresh or saltwater and seafood rinsates. Although commercial colloidal gold‐LF test strips for some HABs and anti‐HAB toxin aptamer DNA sequences already exist, Nanohmics’ innovation of inco ...

Species substitution with a product of lesser value has become an increasing problem within the seafood industry. Increased international trade, rising consumption rates, and high profit incentives have all contributed to the intentional mislabeling of seafood. While whole, unprocessed fish can generally be identified by their morphological features, processing of seafood makes identification chal ...

Ciguatera fish poisoning is an illness suffered by > 50,000 people yearly after consumption of fish containing ciguatoxins (CTXs) or exposure to a harmful algae bloom (HAB). Manufacturing of critical reagents to develop assays to detect ciguatoxin have been elusive due to the constraints in production of viable amounts of the toxin. Thankfully, a significant amount of work has been done to demonst ...

Understanding that saving weight without sacrificing performance on a vehicle is important, the objective of this program is to continue to demonstrate advanced lightweight materials that can have multi-functional capability and be discretely made into parts for DLA. Many applications will have specific requirements of high thermal conductivity, low thermal conductivity, radiation resistance, Mod ...

Wet installation of fasteners offers proven corrosion protection and fuel sealing in aircraft structures, but it''''s a labor-intensive, messy, hazmat-laden process whose quality can vary significantly from fastener to fastener. Under a Navy SBIR Phase II, SMRC has developed a proprietary process called QwikSeal® for pre-coating fasteners with cure-blocked sealant, then overcoating the pre-applie ...