Award Data

Increasing the power density of current jet aircraft engines requires the replacement of conventional high temperature materials by new materials capable of operating at higher temperatures. Ceramics and ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) represent excellent candidates for increased use in hot engine parts due to their ability to withstand temperatures in excess of 2000 C. Due to the complexity of t ...

The development of a non-contact measurement system is of particular importance to implementing an automated method for thickness measurement of critical coatings on internal/external aircraft composite structures. The objective of the proposed research project is to continue development of a non-contact measurement technology and produce a fully functional prototype device for use in robotic app ...

The development of a robotic sanding system is of particular importance to implementing an automated method for sanding critical, high performance coatings to final thickness and surface finish requirements on internal/external aircraft composite structures. The objective of the proposed research project is to continue development of robotic sanding technology and produce a fully functional proto ...

In order to achieve high performance at acceptable cost, PEM fuel cells are required to work at elevated temperature and low relative humidity (near 0 RH) for extended periods of time. However, to date, no commercial PEMs or publicly reported PEMs can meet these requirements. The objectives of this work are: (1) to develop PEMs that have high proton conductivities (50-100 mS/cm) and low area-spec ...

The Global War on Terrorism is increasing pressure for DOD depots to expedite the return of serviceable weapon systems to the warfighter while maintaining or decreasing maintenance costs. Each military service has responded to this challenge by undertaking enterprise-wide logistics modernization programs. Efficient data capture and programmatic data input is a primary obstacle in the production ...

Many Department of Defense (DoD) weapon systems are operating beyond their original design specifications, resulting in failures requiring unplanned parts, materials and sustainment procedures. Such U.S. Air Force weapon systems are collectively denoted as aging aircraft. A large number of aging aircraft in conjunction with newer weapon systems are overhauled, repaired and reused directly or ind ...

The first critical step in welding or brazing is cleaning to remove surface contamination. The Air Force has a need for an environmentally cleaning method that has no waste stream, minimal requirements of personal safety protection, and does not impact component integrity. The Arc Scrubber is an emerging non-chemical cleaning technology that utilizes and electrical arc to remove surface contamin ...

Applied Optimization, Inc. [AO] proposes to demonstrate full feature characterization of unresolved RSOs by performing spectral unmixing and time-frequency analysis of its time and spectrally resolved signature in the visible or infrared spectrum. The characterization will be performed step-by-step by following a taxonomy of feature extraction. Materials identification will be performed via spectr ...

Advanced rechargeable battery technology providing higher energy densities and higher specific energies is being sought by the OSD to extend the range and capability of small electronic systems. In this proposal, an anode material is proposed based on carbon nanofiber alloyed with silicon. While many researchers have tested carbon-silicon alloys created through various schemes, these materials s ...

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will examine the feasibility of a novel synthesis process for the creation of a composite hydrophobic nano-photocatalyst. The innovation is expected to allow enhanced volatile organic chemicals (VOC) and organic pollutant adsorptions in either air or liquid mediums. The development of a commercial composite hydrophobic photocatalyst wi ...