Lightweight EMI-Resistant Metal Rubber Wiring for Rotorcraft

NanoSonics breakthrough Metal RubberTM technology can be used to significantly reduce the weight and improve the EMI/EMC performance of electrical communication, instrumentation and power cables onboard Army helicopters. Metal Rubber is a self-assembled nanocomposite with an electrical conductivity on the order of that of copper (107 S/m). Its low mass density (1 gm/cm3) is about a tenth of that of copper (8.98 gm/cm3), meaning that by replacing copper conductors and shielding in wiring and cabling can save up to 90% in weight. During Phase I, NanoSonic fabricated prototype cables using Metal Rubber sheet and fabric, measured and documented weight savings up to 90% over metal wire and mesh used in standard military cable designs, demonstrated MIL-STD-1553 data bus communication, confirmed order-of-magnitude weight savings and EMI/EMI shielding performance over standard 1553 triax, and documented exceptional environmental ruggedness. During Phase II, NanoSonic would optimize cable design, fabricate hundreds of meters of prototype cable using a small-scale cable production system, verify electrical and mechanical performance through laboratory testing, and provide test cables for demonstration onboard Army helicopters at Fort Eustis. NanoSonic has a CAI of 40, works with several major defense contractors and has several specialized materials installed onboard multiple fielded defense platforms.