Enhanced Science on the ISS: Influence of Gravity on Electrokinetic and Electrochemical Assembly in Colloids

The proposed work complements ongoing work conducted by the research team on the International Space Station (ISS). In January 2016, the research team conducted a study on the ISS utilizing the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) in order to study nanoparticle haloing under microgravity. This experiment (ACE-H2) was part of a series of colloidal experiments organized by the NASA Glenn Research Center Advanced Colloids Experiments (ACE) whose mission is to gain fundamental understanding of colloidal interactions where gravity would otherwise compromise such investigations. Through our current NASA EPSCoR support (NNX14AN28A), we are to run two ISS experiments (ACE-H2 in January 2016 and ACE-E4 in May 2019). We are tentatively scheduled a six-week timeframe to execute ACE-E4. The work proposed herein will enable additional science beyond the scope of the RA to be conducted during the same six-week period. This study, termed ACE-E4ES (short for ACE-E4 Enhanced Science), will take advantage of updates to the LMM platform since ACE-H2, specifically microscopic confocal imaging and temperature capabilities. This work will enable a greater understanding of nanoparticle haloing which can be used to investigate colloidal stability and controlled self-assembly. Ultimately, the ability to design colloidal particles with a variety of well-controlled three-dimensional bonding symmetries opens a wide spectrum of new structures including photonic crystals.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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