Novel Nanotechnology-Based Floatation Platform

The U. S. Navy is seeking novel survival rafts for Navy pilots that may have to ditch at sea. The technology currently utilized have inflated gas compartments, generally carbon dioxide, that provide the necessary buoyant forces to keep the raft and its pilot afloat. This foundational technology, (i.e., CO2 filled compartments) has not changed for 75 years. There are issues associated with this approach such as punctured chambers, difficulty in the deployment of the raft, a relatively larger size (in volume and weight) of the packaged pre-deployed raft, capsizing problems, and difficulties in boarding, to name a few. The proposed novel floatation platform completely does away with compressed gas buoyancy compartments and utilizes nanotechnology based ideas that will result in a raft that is lighter, smaller, simpler, easy to deploy, difficult to capsize, easier to board and lesser expensive. It is anticipated that this technology platform could greatly impact the survival life vest and raft industry.