The technology also has applicability to more conventional pressure vessels such as fireman's air tank or gas storage cylinders. While fiber reinforced plastics composites have incredible strength to weight characteristics, there are many potential applications which would benefit from a hard nanostructured metallic coating for wear resistance, reflectivity, EMI shielding, hardness, damage resistance, material compatibility. Additional markets which may benefit from the use of a nanometal/FRP composite include: sporting goods, defense, automotive, consumer goods and electronics. The proposed technology has application within NASA for use with cryogenic storage tanks, composite overwrapped pressure vessels, satellite propellant tanks. The proposed Nanometal/Composite hybrid structures also have applicability to where composite structures require enhanced functionality such as: wear resistance, reflectivity, EMI shielding, hardness, damage resistance, material compatibility.
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