NASA SBIR 2009 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Nanotrons
12A Cabot Road
Woburn, MA 01801 - 1003
(781) 935-1200

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Je Kyun Lee
jlee@agiltron.com
12A Cabot Rd
Woburn, MA 01801 - 1003
(781) 935-1200 Extension :105

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at beginning and end of contract:
Begin: 4
End: 6

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
In order to meet NASA's vision to develop sustainable and affordable solar system exploration strategies, NASA seeks advanced high-strength and high-toughness composite materials with the microcrack resistance at cryogenic temperatures. These materials must be suitable for use in fuel containment of liquid oxygen, hydrogen, and methane. The objective of this SBIR project is to develop advanced high microcrack-resistant composite cryotanks. In Phase I we successfully demonstrated the synthesis of functionalized graphene sheet (FGS) nanofillers in large scale, which exhibited significantly increased resin strength and toughness at both room and low temperatures, and reduced coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The further investigation of nanocomposite formulation and composite processing can result in FGS-polymer nanocomposite based carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites with significantly enhanced microcrack resistance at cryogenic temperatures in ways it has never done before. The new nanocomposite based CFRP composite materials also provide additional advantages in forming an impermeable barrier to gas and liquid molecules ideal for fuel tanks. Nanotrons' proposed new multifunctional nanocomposite based CFRP composite cryotanks will replace the currently used aluminum-lithium cryotanks providing significant weight savings and can be economically manufactured.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The proposed composite material will demonstrate excellent multifunctional performance and durability at extreme environments reducing the weight of aeronautic and aerospace vehicle components. Decreasing the weight of a vehicle while improving materials performance will improve vehicle fuel efficiency and safety. The composite materials would be potentially applicable to EDS propellant tanks, Altair propellant tanks, lunar cryogenic storage tanks, Ares V tanks, and satellite propellant tanks. Other space and aerospace applications which require highly tough, low CTE composite matrixes may include space and aerospace structure and engine components and turbine.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The proposed composite material will demonstrate excellent multifunctional performance and durability at extreme environments reducing the weight of aeronautic and aerospace vehicle components. Decreasing the weight of a vehicle while improving materials performance will improve vehicle fuel efficiency and safety. The composite materials would be potentially applicable to EDS propellant tanks, Altair propellant tanks, lunar cryogenic storage tanks, Ares V tanks, and satellite propellant tanks. Other space and aerospace applications which require highly tough, low CTE composite matrixes may include space and aerospace structure and engine components and turbine.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING (NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.)

Composites Multifunctional/Smart Materials Propellant Storage Tankage