| PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 28.03-9698 (For NASA Use Only - Chron: 000303 ) |
| PROPOSAL TITLE: | Anti-Static, Field Emitting, Nanoparticle Coatings |
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA has requested development of anti-static coatings for use on satellites and spacecraft in order to prevent electrostatic discharge which can destroy sensitive electronic components and cause malfunction and loss of spacecraft. With the 11 year solar maximum now in full force, satellite charging and damage by solar storms has become critical. To meet the need to prevent spacecraft charging, nano-crystallite coatings will be developed having over 1,000,000,000 sharp field emitting particles per square cm. The field emitters will silently discharge electrostatic build-up. Electron conducting ceramic oxides, La(0.8)Sr(0.2)CoO(3-x) and La(0.8)Sr(0.2)MnO(3-x), and other materials will be ground into particles with median diameter of approximately 300 nm using proven techniques of ceramic and colloid science. Sharp edges and corners of the nano-particles will produce local fields in excess of 10 million volts per meter, sufficient for field electron emission. These refractory ceramic oxides will not be degraded by atomic oxygen of the space environment. Electron conducting properties of the oxide films will neutralize differential charging of spacecraft. Slurries of suspended nano-particles will be developed which can simply be painted onto surfaces of materials requiring protection from electrostatic discharge.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Slurries of suspended nano-particles of electron conducting, field emitting, ceramic oxides, and other materials will be developed which can simply be painted onto objects requiring protection from electrostatic discharge. Paints for coatings will be sold to prevent electrostatic build-up on NASA and commercial satellites. The anti-static paints will be sold to the semiconductor and computer industries, which now lose annually over a billion dollars of sensitive electronic components to electrostatic discharge. The paints will find use in the chemical, oil, coal, and fuel handling industries needing to prevent electrostatic discharge which ignites flammable substances.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
(Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Michael V. Mundschau
Eltron Research Inc
4600 Nautilus Court South
Boulder , CO 80301 - 3241
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
(Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Eltron Research Inc
4600 Nautilus Court South
Boulder , CO 80301 - 3241