Low-Cost Self-Assembly Technique for a Fully-Integrated Light-Weight Metal Rubber™ Corrosion Sensor System

This Navy Phase II SBIR program would demonstrate the performance and increase the TRL of nanostructured Metal Rubber™-based corrosion sensor elements and interrogation systems for use on legacy military aircraft. This will involve demonstration of sensor materials, wire-connected and wireless RF data acquisition approaches, and platform testing. It will show that the developed sensors and systems can be integrated into current or near-term aircraft SHM instrumentation systems to save both time and money. Phase I research demonstrated the feasibility of patterned self-assembled Metal Rubber™ thin film materials as sensor elements for the detection of corrosion processes in standard aircraft aluminum alloys. Initial sensor material chemistry, sensor data acquisition electronics, and remote wireless RF detection concepts were proven through benchtop hardware tests. The Phase II program would build directly on that work and include 1) optimization of the chemical design of the nanostructured sensor materials and analysis using salt-fog chamber accelerated corrosion tests, 2) development of both wire-interconnected and remote wireless RF-interrogated sensor electronic systems, and 3) sensor and system evaluation on both laboratory test articles and representative aircraft structural materials. NanoSonic is working with a major developer and manufacturer of aircraft and other platforms for the Navy and other services.