99--TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY TAILORED DIELECTRIC MATERIALS WITH METALAND METAL OXIDE NANOPARTICLES: LAR-17427 -17638

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses. THE TECHNOLOGY: Scientists at NASA Langley Research Center have developed novel method of depositing metal and metal oxide nanoparticles onto various substrates (see ACS Nano, 3(4), 871884 [2009]). It is rapid, scalable, and green since it does not require reducing agents or solvents. The process involves first mixing and then heating a metal salt (usually an acetate) with the desired substrate. Heating can be done by conventional thermal or microwave ovens. Conventional thermal processing takes several hours and requires an inert atmosphere, usually nitrogen. With microwave heating, the process is complete in a matter of seconds. The metal or metal oxide nanoparticles have potential use in electromagnetic applications. The nanoparticles have been evaluated for electromagnetic properties at high frequencies for potential antenna applications NASAs technology involves the development of tailorable dielectric materials by the deposition of metal nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes using a solvent-free method. The novel materials consist of aligned nanotubes decorated with nanometer dimension metal particles distributed in a polymer matrix. The tailorable complex permittivity parameters allow for an increased dielectric constant (e) with a decreased loss factor (e) (Figure 1). In addition, varying the amount of metal particles attached to the substrate surface can control the disconnection between the dielectric constant and the loss factor. The decoupling and independent control of these fundamental electrical material parameters afford a class of materials useful in a variety of applications in electronics, electromagnetics, and microwave engineering, with potential future applications in the optical frequency regime. Specific applications include the fabrication of fractal and geometric patterns (Figure 2) in antenna substrates, thereby improving antenna performance. U.S. patents 8,790,773/8,508,413. To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to [email protected] with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this FBO notice and your preferred contact information. Please also provide the nature of your interest in the technology along with a brief background of your company. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at http://technology.nasa.gov/ . These responses are provided to members of NASA Langleys Office of Strategic Analysis and Business Development OSACB for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, OSACB will follow the required formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.