SBIR-STTR Award

Revolutionary ambient temperature superconductors made of polymers have been invented. Early examples were unstable. A proprietary new material has demonstrated stability. Samples are available in thin film form, with superconductivity in the thin dimension. The materials have carried 80 ampere currents in clusters of filaments 1-2 microns in diameter, indicating a current density of 3,000,000 amperes/cm2. To date, tests have been made in magnetic fields of up to 9 Tesla with positive results. Wire prototypes are anticipated to result from ongoing efforts during 1995. The critical temperature (Tc) is presently 700 Kelvin. This is also the melting point of the, proprietary, polymer. This project will explore several possible applications of the new material to fuzes. It will characterize samples of the material and analyze the feasibility of: Miniature Superconductor Batteries; Josephson junctions for computation; Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDS) for magnetic sensing; Superconducting magnetic shielding.

Keywords:
Room-Temperature Superconductor Zero Resistance Fuzes Ambient-Temperature Superconducting Polymers

This proposal addresses the development of a hybrid chemical/mechanical heat pump, using environmentally acceptable absorbent/refrigerant pairs, for more electric aircraft thermal control systems. Mainstream's chemical/mechanical heat pump incorporates the advantages of both the chemical and mechanical vapor compression systems. The objective of the Phase II effort is to demonstrate the energy savings of the chemical/mechanical heat pump, using an environmentally-acceptable absorbent/HFC-134a working fluid pair, for more electric aircraft. This will be accomplished by designing and fabricating a breadboard demonstration unit, investigating various operational parameters, absorbent/HFC-134a pairs (a short list), and component designs in the breadboard demonstration unit, performing life-testing of the two-phase compressor, selecting a specific application for a field demonstration unit, designing and fabricating a high-efficiency field demonstration unit, and extensive testing of the high-efficiency field demonstration unit.

Keywords:
Room-Temperature Superconductor Zero Resistance Fuzes Ambient-Temperature Superconducting Polymers