Award Data

There is a need for a simple, affordable method for measuring domoic acid in the field. This project will develop a rapid, onsite kit for domoic acid featuring a filter membrane that produces a readable color response without need for instrumentation. The filter membrane contains three or more zones with different assay characteristics in close proximity. These zones will indicate different co ...

Bright, fast, transparent, gamma-free scintillators for thermal neutrons are needed in the detector systems of large neutron research facilities. This project will develop quantum-dot-based neutron scintillators, which will show substantial improvements over existing scintillators, especially in count rate, detection efficiency, and spatial resolution. In particular, semiconductor quantum-dot-ba ...

The Department of Energy¿s large research facilities need a bright, fast, transparent, gamma-free, cost-effective scintillator for thermal neutron detection. Other applications with the same need are medical imaging, nuclear materials detection, and non-destructive materials investigation. Current scintillators not only use decades-old technology, but also are inefficient and expensive. This ...

Wind energy has numerous benefits as a power source, including price stability, lack of greenhouse gas emissions, revitalization of rural areas, and lack of dependence on imported fuels. As wind increases its penetration into the US power market, it is imperative to minimize costs and maximize reliability, so that it can compete fully with traditional power sources. The primary recurring cost of ...

Advanced SiC-based high-power switches are need for power conversion applications. This project will develop a 10 kV-18 kV class, high voltage, SiC Emitter Turn-off thyristor that maximizes the capability of SiC materials while minimizing the effect of immature material properties, such as poor oxide reliability and low surface mobility. The SiC ETO will result in the best performance in terms o ...

Large-volume CdZnTe detectors would improve radiation detection capabilities in support of the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. However, the spectroscopic performance of current, large-volume Cadmium 10% Zinc Telluride, Cd0.9Zn0.1Te, (CZT) detectors is not sufficient for detection scenarios requiring reliable radioisotope identification. The deficiency has been linked to the cumulative effe ...

The pressing need exists within industry to accurately measure high aspect ratio microscale structures. For example, diesel injector nozzles are manufactured with microscale holes ranging from 50-200 micrometers in diameter and 3-5 mm depths. One fundamental challenge is to nondestrucvely measure these features in order to validate models, enhance manufacturing processes, and reduce fuel emissions ...

Manning Applied Technology proposes to develop a handheld infrared spectrometer, ideally suited to detection of airborne chemical agents at and below permissible exposure limits. This approach offers unmatched sensitivity and specificity for detection of all types of chemical vapors. The instrument is modular, rugged, compact and highly sensitive. Volume pricing will be less than $1000 each. ...

78845S The Department of Energy desires to increase fuel efficiency by reducing vehicle weight. Carbon fiber composites offer one promising way to do this, but difficulties in building economical, consistent, high quality preforms has limited the introduction of this material. This project will to adapt a well established pulp molding technology to produce carbon fiber preforms for lightweight ...

79454S Despite advances in modern electron optics, which have permitted observation with unprecedented resolutions, most materials science research involves the quantification of static properties of materials. This is mostly due to limitations in modern day equipment and the time and cost associated with modifying existing microscopes. Consequently a need exists to extend the current ability t ...