Hybrid Nanocomposites for Efficient Aerospace Structures

NASA seeks to address the primary goals of the Advanced Air Vehicles program, improving safety and efficiency, through exploration of the value for hybrid composites to guide the direction for development and insertion of the materials into industry. Cornerstone Research Group Inc. (CRG), University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI), and NanoSperse LLC have formed a team of experts in the aerospace composites industry to perform a systems-level value assessment for hybrid composites into target aircraft application areas during this Phase I project, and demonstrate actual material properties through a preliminary hybrid composite formulation, fabrication, and characterization activity. The result of the Phase I project will be direction for hybrid composites development. In Phase II and beyond, this team provides the necessary skills and capabilities –industry insight, materials formulation, nanomaterials dispersion, composites design, aerospace structures design, and composites manufacturing – to drive the technology into commercial application.