Cost Effective Growth of High Temperature Piezoelectrics for Adaptive Flow Control Actuators, Phase I

TRS Technologies, Inc. in collaboration with The Pennsylvania State University propose to develop new families of high temperature piezoelectric materials for adaptive engine control. The identification, synthesis and characterization of these new materials will enable the design of new high temperature piezoelectric active flow control actuators that may enable dramatic increases in the efficiency of revolutionary alternative propulsion system concepts or the concept designs themselves. Specifically, the objective of the program is to identify materials for high authority (d33 ? 400 pC/N) piezoelectric actuators for fuel flow control in gas turbine engines. The high strain, high force actuators will be operational in the range of 600?1200^oF with 1 to 10 kHz capabilities. This will be achieved by synthesizing new piezoelectric in both textured ceramic and single crystal form. The focus will be to use cost effectives methods to produce either textured microstructures or single crystal materials that lend themselves to domain engineering for enhanced piezoelectric performance at elevated temperatures.

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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