The goal of the proposed research is to develop an advanced technology for producing lightweight, robust multifunctional spacecraft coatings with both sensing and surface protection capabilities in a single technological process. This research addresses the critical need for innovative technologies that enable the nanoscale structure control in advanced materials for space applications. The state-of-the-art technologies to produce high-quality aerospace materials are predominantly based on top-down approaches and offer a very limited structure control when characteristic microstructure dimensions approach 100nm. This proposal seeks to explore a novel approach for the synthesis of advanced materials with the atomic-scale control over the size of periodic features on the sub-30 nm scale. The key innovative aspect of this research is the development of a technique for the confined growth of spatially separated nanostructures in a porous host template. This template, an array of cylindrical pores, will be fabricated via biologically inspired hierarchical self-assembly of organic surfactant molecules in the presence of inorganic charged species. Layers of nanostructured functional materials will be sequentially grown inside the pores to form a periodic sensor array on the bottom and nanostructured protective coatings on the top of the coating. The proposed technique is general and can be applied to various types of aerospace structures from nanoelectronics to selective frame reinforcement. POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) This technology will have an impact on a vast array of services extending from global connectivity to local terrestrial systems. The proposed multifunctional coating is expected to have a wide range of applications in both government and industrial sectors. It will be of a great interest to Air Force, Navy, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, and other DoD organizations actively involved in aircraft development. Potential customers may include large airframe manufacturing entities such as Boeing, Northrup-Grumman, and Lockheed-Martin, as well as space-related manufacturers such as Hughes, Rockwell International and Thiokol. It should be of interest to a number of commercial structures for wireless communications such as public radio and TV stations, and land mobile communication providers. The technology will also find its application in the Earth observation systems such as meteorology, soil moisture radiation measurement, and others.
