Fabricating printable electronics and biosensor chips

Oxide coatings have been used in thermal and environmental barrier layers for coatings for hot section turbine applications, among other uses. With the PS-PVD method, Glenn researchers observed the formation of a minority phase of a metastable oxide (zirconium oxide) that is usually found only in a vapor state. They found that the high temperatures and fast deposition process of the PS-PVD system incorporated nonequilibrium phases in the coating and retained them at room temperature as well as at high temperature in the absence of oxygen. The material is vaporized and condensed on the surface via a rapid quenching, essentially &#34trapping&#34 this phase in the deposited coating. The coating microstructure and composition can also be manipulated by changing the processing parameters, allowing the thickness of the coating to be tailored to a given application. Since this metastable phase is conductive, this coating can be used as (for example) an extremely sensitive (thermal or temperature) sensor. It also has very good durability and erosion resistance, making it useful as a protective and conductive coating for electronics and microelectronics. This is an early-stage technology requiring additional development, and Glenn welcomes co-development opportunities.

Fiber-Metal Laminates (FMLs) are composite materials that consist of conventional fiber reinforced plastics with the addition of a metal component, typically a foil or mesh layer(s). The metal component offers the advantage of incorporating metal-like properties to the composite construction. While a range of potential advantages and applications have been discussed for FMLs, the primary application to date has been for aircraft structures, with one potential advantage being the lightning strike protection (LSP) offered by the improved electrical conductivity. As aircraft construction has moved to composite structures, there has been an increasing need for such conductive composites. Similarly, with increasing use of composites for other large structures, e.g. wind turbines, there are an increasing number of potential applications for lightning strike protection materials. Other advantages of FML are improved impact and fire resistance. This innovation provides a method for making FML materials that incorporate nanotube reinforcement. The method involves the use of RF plasma spray to directly form and deposit nanotube materials onto fibers/fabrics, which can then be manufactured into composite structures by infiltrating the fiber with resin, and consolidating the structure via autoclave processing or via the use Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) composite manufacturing methods. Nanotubes incorporated into the structure in this manner can be of several types, for example boron nitride or carbon nanotubes. The objective of this innovation is to incorporate the nanotube materials in the FML in order to improve the mechanical properties.

Storage and transfer of fluid commodities such as oxygen, hydrogen, natural gas, nitrogen, argon, etc. is an absolute necessity in virtually every industry on Earth. These fluids are typically contained in one of two ways; as low pressure, cryogenic liquids, or as a high pressure gases. Energy storage is not useful unless the energy can be practically obtained ("un-stored") as needed. Here the goal is to store as many fluid molecules as possible in the smallest, lightest weight volume possible; and to supply ("un-store") those molecules on demand as needed in the end-use application. The CFC concept addresses this dual storage/usage problem with an elegant charging/discharging design approach. The CFC's packaging is ingeniously designed, tightly packing aerogel composite materials within a container allows for a greater amount of storage media to be packed densely and strategically. An integrated conductive membrane also acts as a highly effective heat exchanger that easily distributes heat through the entire container to discharge the CFC quickly, it can also be interfaced to a cooling source for convenient system charging; this feature also allows the fluid to easily saturate the container for fast charging. Additionally, the unit can be charged either with cryogenic liquid or from an ambient temperature gas supply, depending on the desired manner of refrigeration. Finally, the heater integration system offers two promising methods, both of which have been fabricated and tested, to evenly distribute heat throughout the entire core, both axially and radially. NASA engineers also applied the CFC to a Cryogenic Oxygen Storage Module to store oxygen in solid-state form and deliver it as a gas to an end-use environmental control and/or life support system. The Module can scrub out nuisance or containment gases such as carbon dioxide and/or water vapor in conjunction with supplying oxygen, forming a synergistic system when used in a closed-loop application. The combination of these capabilities to work simultaneously may allow for reduced system volume, mass, complexity, and cost of a breathing device.

In applying PS400 using the plasma spray-coating process, a 0.010 inch layer is deposited onto a metal surface. This composite coating often includes a metallic-based binder, a metal-bonded hardener, a high-temperature lubricant, and/or a low- temperature lubricant. PS400's improved metallic-based binder alloy greatly increases the structural strength and durability of the composite with respect to the operating temperature and the bearing load, and provides superior dimensional stability. PS400's metal-bonded oxide hardening agent provides additional hardness, wear resistance, and thermal stability, while also exhibiting a low coefficient of friction when used in sliding contacts. It is also significantly less expensive in terms of both acquisition and grinding processes. Depending on the desired environment, high- and low-temperature lubricants may be added to the composite coating. The preferred high-temperature lubricant is a metal fluoride and the optional optional low-temperature lubricant is composed of metals, such as silver or copper, that are soft enough to provide lubrication at low temperature while maintaining oxidation resistance with a sufficiently high melting point. These qualities permit the materials to be used over a broad temperature range. Once the spray coating has been applied, the metal surface is ground and polished to produce a smooth, self-lubricating surface before use. Unlike some coatings that must be diamond-ground, PS400 is readily ground with a substantially less expensive abrasive, such as silicon carbide. This grinding process generally yields a coating thickness of 200 to 400 micrometers. In instances when a coating is not convenient or possible, powder metallurgy techniques using PM400 can be used to make freestanding self-lubricating components such as bushings and wear plates.

The technology uses additive print manufacturing to produce hierarchical and integrated structural and functional elements into large-area thin-film structures. Adding these structural and functional elements has the potential to enable very lightweight, large-scale thin-films with improved damage tolerance, self-deployment capability, flexibility, and multifunctional (optical, thermal, electrical) connectivity and interrogation capabilities. Based on simple and proven additive manufacturing concepts, advanced geometrical, biomimetic (insect wing), and hierarchical structures could be applied to, or eventually with further development integrated within the bulk of large-area thin films using roll-to-roll processing techniques for a potentially low-cost manufacturing approach. The subject technology potentially addresses many of the disadvantages of current large-scale membrane material systems, which are prone to damage or require extensive deployment and support structures.