The Boeing Company

Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

Other

General Nano LLC

Howard University

John Huntley Belk

Jeffrey H Hunt

Daniel Joseph Braley

Zeaid F Hasan

Om Prakash

James William Fonda

Daniel R Ferriell

Jacob I Battat

Justine M Truscello

Minas Hagop Tanielian

Stephen R Heinz

Bartley C Johnson

Jade M Brown

Joseph B Harriman

William B Barvosa-Carter

Philip Lawrence Freeman

Daniel David Bloch

James Ping Huang

Leslie Momoda

Russell Mistretta Abbott

James Patrick Dunne

Shawn Hyunsoo Park

Lawrence Eric Pado

Bruce Lee Drolen

Edward Val White

Larry Allen Christy

Joseph E Sprengard

Daniel Eric Hulsey

Mohsen Mosleh

David J Nakamura

Kevin J Rooney

Michael Tony Gaston

Brian R Foy

Theresa L Clifton

Philip J Ellerbrock

Lawrence E Pado

James P Dunne

A system and method are disclosed for internally heated concentrated solar power (CSP) thermal absorbers. The system and method involve an energy-generating device having at least one heating unit. At least one heating unit preheats the energy-generating device in order to expedite the startup time of the energy-generating device, thereby allowing for an increase in efficiency for the production of energy. In some embodiments, the energy-generating device is a CSP thermal absorber. The CSP thermal absorber comprises a housing, a thermal barrier, a light-transparent reservoir containing a liquid alkali metal, at least one alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter (AMTEC) cell, an artery return channel, and at least one heating unit. Each heating unit comprises a heating device and a metal fin. The metal fin is submerged into the liquid alkali metal, thereby allowing the heating device to heat the liquid alkali metal via the fin.

Internally heated concentrated solar power (CSP) thermal absorber

A non-destructive examination (NDE) system for use on a structural element comprises nano-energetic actuators configured for creating a controlled combustion in response to thermal energy, thereby inducing vibrations in a surface of the structural element. The NDE system further comprises sensors configured for measuring the vibrations induced in the surface of the structural element and generating vibration data. An applique comprises a planar substrate, nano-energetic actuators affixed to the planar substrate, each configured for creating controlled combustions in response to thermal energy, and an adhesive affixed to the planar substrate, such that the applique can be adhered to a structural element. A means of transportation having an accumulation of ice comprises a structural element, and nano-energetic actuators, each configured for creating a controlled combustion in response to thermal energy, thereby inducing vibrations in a surface of the structural element great enough to generate cracks in the ice.

Nano-energetic applications for aircraft

A carbon nanomaterial composite sheet and a method for making a carbon nanomaterial composite sheet may include a layer of a carbon nanomaterial structure being bonded to a carrier layer, the carrier layer being fabricated from a porous metalized nonwoven material.

Carbon nanomaterial composite sheet and method for making the same

A method for making a conductive pre-impregnated composite sheet includes the steps of joining a nanomaterial composite sheet, a fiber-reinforcing sheet and a resin system to form a combined sheet, heating the combined sheet, compacting the combined sheet, and cooling the combined sheet to form conductive pre-impregnated composite sheet including the fiber-reinforcing sheet, and the nanomaterial composite sheet coupled to the fiber-reinforcing sheet, wherein the fiber-reinforcing sheet and the nanomaterial composite sheet are embedded in the resin system.

Conductive pre-impregnated composite sheet and method for making the same

Elongated, ultra-high conductivity electrical conductors for use in advanced electronic components and vehicles, and methods for producing the same, are disclosed herein. The elongated electrical conductors include a conductor body that defines a longitudinal axis. The conductor body includes an isotropically conductive matrix material and a plurality of anisotropically conductive particles interspersed within the isotropically conductive matrix material. Each anisotropically conductive particle defines a respective axis of enhanced electrical conductivity that is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the conductor body. The methods include providing a bulk matrix-particle composite that includes the isotropically conductive matrix material and the plurality of anisotropically conductive particles. The methods further include forming the bulk matrix-particle composite into an elongated electrical conductor and aligning the plurality of anisotropically conductive particles such that the respective axis of enhanced electrical conductivity thereof is at least substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the elongated electrical conductor.

Method for producing an ultra-high conductivity electrical conductor

An illustrative embodiment of a contaminant resistant structure includes a substrate having a substrate surface, at least one contaminant resistant material provided on the substrate surface and a hydrophobic or oleophobic, and alternatively, a hydrophilic or oleophilic material provided on at least a portion of the substrate surface.

Contaminant resistant coating fabrication structure and method

A transmission cable may include a conductor core, an insulator layer surrounding the conductor core, and a shielding layer surrounding the insulator layer, wherein the shielding layer includes a carbon nanotube sheet material.

Carbon nanotube shielding for transmission cables

A system for providing active real-time characterization of an article under test is disclosed. An infrared light source, a first visible light source and a second visible light source each outputs and directs a beam of coherent light at a particular area on the article under test. A visible light camera and a visible light second harmonic generation camera, an infrared camera and an infrared second harmonic generation camera, a sum frequency camera and a third order camera are each configured to receive a respective predetermined return beam of light from the particular area on the article under test. A processor receives signals from the cameras and calculates in real time respective spectroscopic signals and compares each calculated signal with each other calculated signal and with a predetermined baseline signal to ensure that the article under test conforms to an expected value.

Active real-time characterization system

A method of making a sheet metal component from a tailored blank includes altering an initial blank formed from a first material to form the tailored blank by at least one of (i) coupling additional material to a portion of the first material, and (ii) removing the first material from a portion of the initial blank. The method also includes forming the sheet metal component from the tailored blank by an incremental sheet forming process.

Method and system for incremental sheet forming of tailored blanks

Systems and methods are provided for fabrication of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material with carbon nanotubes and graphene. One embodiment is a method for forming a ceramic matrix composite structure. The method includes providing a mixture of carbon nanotubes, graphene, and silicon carbon nitride, heating the mixture to bond the carbon nanotubes and the graphene, and sintering the silicon carbon nitride in the mixture.

Fabrication of ceramic matrix composites with carbon nanotubes and graphene

A frequency selective electromagnetic apparatus is provided. The apparatus may include at least one nanowire comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end, at least one 2-dimensional contact disposed adjacent to the first end or the second end and in thermal communication, electrical communication, or both thermal and electrical communication with the at least one nanowire, and at least one nanoscale-sized-diameter thermoelectric junction disposed between the at least one 2-dimensional contact and the at least one nanowire.

High resolution thermo-electric nanowire and graphene coupled detector system

Growing community of inventors

St. Louis, MO, United States of America

John Huntley Belk