Multifunctional, Nanostructured Metal Rubber Protective Films for Space Exploration, Phase I

NanoSonic has developed revolutionary nanostructured, yet macroscale, multifunctional Metal Rubber^TM films. In support of NASA's Vision for Space Exploration, low cost Metal Rubber^TM freestanding or conformal skins would be optimized as protective coatings for human and robotic space exploration. Specifically, ultra-lightweight, nanostructured coatings with protection against electrostatic charging, abrasion and radiation over a wide range of mechanical and thermal fluctuations are offered. Metal Rubber^TM is fabricated via layer-by-layer, molecular self-assembly, which enables thickness and placement control over multiple constituents for true nanostructured multifunctionality (nm scale); while advanced polymers have allowed scale-up to free-standing thick films (several mm thick, at < 1 g/cc). Metal Rubber^TM is not a conducting polymer or a sputter-coated polymer film. It is a freestanding nanocomposite formed in situ by chemically bonding each monolayer of nanostructured constituent, thereby eliminating residual stress between each component. New, ultra-low modulus Metal Rubber^TM can be strained to > 1000% elongation while remaining electrically conductive; and returns to its original shape and nominal conductivity when released. Bulk resistivity (as low as 10-5 Ω∙cm), and mechanical moduli (0.1 MPa to 500 MPa) have been demonstrated. Metal Rubber^TM requires less than 1 vol% of metal, allowing the manufacturing a cost effective, advanced material More »