Award Data

ABSTRACT: CU Aerospace (CUA) and team partner the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) propose to perform research, development and demonstration of experimental quenching free measurements of heat-release in a realistic highly turbulent plasma-assisted flame. Kinetics models will be correspondingly updated and detailed 3D multiphysics simulations will be validated by the measurements ...

ABSTRACT: The objective of this proposal is to develop a fast axis collimating lens for quantum cascade lasers (QCL) which emit in the midwave-infrared (MWIR) range. These lenses must withstand the stress of both continuous wave (CW) and pulsed laser emission. These high laser powers may cause ablation of lens material reducing effectiveness of the optic and leading to failure. Thus, a high damage ...

ABSTRACT: Active control of the shock system in a scramjet engine isolator opens possibilities for enhanced engine performance and reduced engine weight by eliminating excess isolator design margin. A successful system will allow for maximum performance from a given engine configuration and will deliver range and efficiency that exceeds those possible using passive unstart control. Our approach is ...

ABSTRACT: Sierra Engineering Inc. (Sierra) believes that existing chemical kinetic models can be efficiently incorporated into commercial CFD codes to predict the mixing, pyrolysis, soot formation and carbon deposition within film cooled rocket engines. During this Phase I STTR effort we will demonstrate that this analysis capability is practical and that we can generate appropriate model validati ...

ABSTRACT: The overall objective of this project is to develop scalable simulation components that effectively model the meso-scale physics of heterogeneous energetic materials subject to dynamic shock loading including matrix debonding, void collapse, and damage due to crystal to crystal interactions, and bridges the meso-scale to the macro-scale for system scale simulations of the transition to d ...

ABSTRACT: A platform (PHA-fuse) for the stabilization of diagnostic and therapeutic reagents will be established based upon the polymer, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). Fusions of a target molecule to PHA synthase, the enzyme responsible for PHA synthesis, will be constructed and used to catalyze the synthesis of PHA granules. These PHA granules will help stabilize the fused target molecules and elimi ...

Living systems rely on pervasive vascular networks to enable a plurality of biological function, exemplified by natural composite structures that are lightweight, high-strength, and capable of mass and energy transport. In contrast, synthetic composites possess high strength-to-weight ratios but lack the dynamic functionality of their natural counterparts. CU Aerospace, with team partners the Univ ...

The Air Force, will benefit from the radiation-hard, lightweight, flexible, high-efficiency solar cells, which will enable greater capability on future spacecraft. Spacecraft will have a longer lifetime in high radiation orbits; alternatively, less radiation shielding, and hence less weight, will be required to provide the same endurance available at present. In the longer term, lightweight, flexi ...

ABSTRACT: The effects of fatigue and exhaustion can have significant effects on the capabilities of personnel throughout the military and civilian sectors. Current methods to evaluate and reduce the effects of severe fatigue and exhaustion include self-reporting, assessment using simple cognitive tests and exercises, and the implementation of fatigue management programs. Detection of chemical ind ...

DESCRIPTION provided by applicant We are pioneering an RNA based switch technology called structurally interacting RNAs sxRNA which utilizes post transcriptional gene regulation as a reporter for miRNA detection Normally RNA binding proteins RBP associate with a andapos stem loop structure to facilitate translation of an upstream coding region by as much as an order of magnitude It is ...