Metal RubberT Replacements for Conventional Metal Materials in USVs Navy SBIR FY2009.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2009.1 Topic No.: N091-047 Topic Title: Metal RubberT Replacements for Conventional Metal Materials in USVs Proposal No.: N091-047-0518 Firm: NanoSonic, Inc. P.O. Box 618 Christiansburg, Virginia 24068 Contact: Richard Claus Phone: (540) 953-1785 Web Site: http://www.nanosonic.com Abstract: This SBIR program would demonstrate the feasibility of replacing heavy metal materials and components onboard unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) with equivalent materials and components fabricated using lightweight Metal RubberT. Metal RubberT is a self-assembled nanocomposite material with an electrical conductivity on the order of that of bulk copper (107 S/m). Its mass density (1 g/cc) is much less than that of copper (8.96 g/cc), steel (8 g/cc) or aluminum (2.7 g/cc). Replacing copper or other bulk metal components onboard USVs with Metal RubberT thus may result in a weight savings of between 90% for copper to 60% for aluminum. During the Phase I program, NanoSonic would work with input from a major ship systems manufacturer, and design, fabricate and analyze the properties of representative structural, electrical, RF shielding and thermally conductive materials based on Metal RubberT materials. Materials large enough to be representative of full-size USV structures would be produced and tested. These hardware test articles will allow a direct calculation of the total weight savings possible by replacing conventional metals with Metal RubberT. Technical specifications and weight savings would be used to downselect optimal development paths during a possible Phase II program in cooperation with that ship system manufacturer Benefits: Lightweight Metal RubberT materials have applications as low weight electrical power cables and instrumentation cables, low weight electrical power and data wiring connectors, low weight EMI shielding for electronic instrumentation and low weight thermal heat sinks. Stretchable, low modulus forms of electrically conducting Metal RubberT have applications in high performance, highly flexible and lightweight electronic flex circuits, flexible displays and smart electronic fabrics, and as conducting flexible electrodes for high strain mechanical actuator devices and sensors, such as in medical prostheses or implanted bio-electronic devices. High modulus forms of electrically and thermally conductive Metal RubberT have potential use as a replacement for eutectic tin-lead solder for the mechanical, electrical and thermal interconnection of electronic and mechanical components. Return