Scaling Hybrid Amorphous/Semi-crystalline Thermoplastic Prepreg Capable of Fast Cooling Consolidation

This proposal will result in scalable manufacturing of the NASA patented material, OATMEAL (Out-of-Autoclave Amorphous/Semi-Crystalline Thermoplastic Materials for Energy-efficient Aerospace-grade Laminates). OATMEAL is composed of amorphous polymer healed to the surface of semi-crystalline composites. The amorphous polymer enables layer-to-layer welding without melting the subsurface material, creating a cooling-rate independent process. The idea is motivated by crystallization in thermoplastic composites necessitating slow cooling – but also being necessary for chemical resistance and fiber-matrix adhesion. OATMEAL circumnavigates this by taking advantage of the “Goldilocks” zone of the amorphous sheaths by healing the amorphous material without melting the semi-crystalline crystals, which ensures consolidation and complete crystallization.

Payoffs: A material/manufacturing process that unlocks rapid, low-cost manufacturing of aerospace-grade composites; applicability across AAM, automotive, and space industries; reduced lifecycle costs and energy consumption; strong IP position around submicron interface engineering and inline laser ablation. Cost Benefit: Process could yield potential multi-million-dollar annual savings in cycle time and energy for high-volume producers - and a clear path to commercialization with major OEMs.

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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.