Super Lightweight, Metal Rubber Fabric for Extreme Space Environments, Phase I

NanoSonic has fabricated revolutionary nanostructured, yet macroscale, multifunctional Metal Rubber^TM films via layer-by-layer, molecular self-assembly, which enables thickness and placement control over multiple constituents for true nanostructured multifunctionality and homogeneity (surface roughness +/- 5 nm). NanoSonic has recently transitioned this innovative approach into a method to produce flexible, super lightweight, conductive fabrics for inflatable spacecraft. In support of NASA's Vision for Space Exploration, low cost Metal Rubber Fabric^TM would be optimized as high performance textiles and sensors for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. Specifically, nanostructured fabrics with ultra-low mass density (0.0011 g/cc), offer electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and the elastomeric variants exhibit a novel approach to large area sensors. Metal Rubber Fabric^TM is not fabricated from conducting polymers or sputter coated fibers. NanoSonic's in situ approach involves chemically reacting monolayers of nanosized components, eliminating residual stress between each constituent. Metal Rubber^TM technology has led to advanced electrically conductive (as low as 10-5 Ω∙cm) inorganic/organic hybrid nanocomposites that can be strained to > 1000% elongation that return to the original shape and nominal conductivity when released, even at cryogenic temperatures (-80C). Metal Rubber Fabric^TM requires less than 1 vol% of metal, allowing the manufacturing a cost effective, advanced textiles.

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.