SBIR-STTR Award

This NASA Phase I SBIR program would develop ultra-wide bandwidth, conformal nanomembrane based strain sensors for nondestructive evaluation applications, using silicon on insulator techniques in combination with nanocomposite materials. The team has recently demonstrated the conformal strain sensors with a frequency response from DC to 5MHz. The team will perform synthesis of sensor skin materials with optimized transduction, hysteresis and environmental properties, specifically for structure health monitoring of aerospace structures such as multi-wall pressure vessels and micrometeoroid shielding. The team will fabricate patterned two-dimensional sensor arrays and internal electronics using optimized materials. Calibration of sensor elements will be conducted. Support electronics will be developed to acquire, multiplex, store and process raw sensor array data. Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): The anticipated initial application of the ultra-wide bandwidth strain sensors for nondestructive evaluation applications is for NASA’s aerospace structure monitoring. The commercialization potential of the proposed technology lies in four areas, namely 1) single strain sensor, 2) conformal strain sensor arrays for nondestructive evaluation applications, 3) broader strain sensor arrays, and 4) data analysis module. Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): Primary customers would be university, government laboratory and industry researchers. Use of developed ultra-wide bandwidth strain sensor technology first by NASA, and then by the broader research community, as well as the developers and users of aerospace, hydrospace, land vehicle, civil structure and biomedical flow systems, is envisioned. Duration: 6

This NASA Phase II SBIR program would develop ultra-wide bandwidth, conformal nanomembrane based strain sensors for nondestructive evaluation applications, using silicon on insulator techniques in combination with nanocomposite materials. Semiconductor nanomembrane strain sensors are thin, mechanically and chemically robust materials that may be patterned in two dimensions to create multi-sensor element skin arrays that can be conformally attached onto vehicle and model surfaces. The team will transition the conformal nanomembrane based strain sensors from their current concept to prototype stage products of use to NASA’s test facilities. The team will optimize an improved mechanical and electrical model of semiconductor nanomembrane based sensor performance that will allow quantitative optimization of material properties and suggest optimal methods for sensor attachment and use for nondestructive evaluation applications. The team will fabricate patterned two-dimensional sensor arrays and internal electronics using optimized materials. The team will perform a complete analysis of sensor cross-sensitivities and noise sources to allow optimization of signal-to-noise ratio and practical sensor sensitivity. Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): The advanced real-time structure health monitoring requires accurate experimental information about the crack initiation and sizing and direction in the structure. In a material under active stress, such as some components of operational vehicles during flight, ultra-width strain sensors mounted in an area can detect the formation of a crack at the moment it begins propagating. Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): Primary customers would be university, government laboratory and industry researchers. The technique is valuable for detecting cracks forming in pressure vessels and pipelines transporting liquids under high pressures. Duration: 24