Nanocomposites for Lightweight Electronic Enclosures

Carbon nano-materials, in the vapor-grown fiber and platelet forms have shown great promise in providing EMI shielding when used with traditional polymer composites. However, attempts to blend these nano-constituents into matrix materials with low-loading levels have not been successful in increasing the inherent shielding level of the composite. San Diego Composites is proposing a method to concentrate the levels of conductive nano-materials at the surface of a compression molded enclosure or cover to provide EMI shielding at the level required for JSF and other aerospace applications. San Diego Composites is also proposing to blend graphite nano-platelets into standard molding compound to enhance mechanical properties. By providing integral EMI shielding, light weight, low recurring cost and good mechanical performance, compression molded hybrid nanocomposites are ideally suited to meet cost and technical performance on JSF.