Polymer MEMS Nanostructured Sensors for Coating Analysis and Health Monitoring of Nonstructural Materials

NanoSonic proposes to develop a Polymer MicroElectroMechanical System (PMEMS) device-based sensor for the health-monitoring of wear and corrosion in coatings for this Air Force SBIR program. During Phase I, NanoSonic would design and fabricate novel electrically-conductive, nanostructured thin film sensors formed by Electrostatic Self-Assembly (ESA) to detect surface-related phenomena, such as wear and corrosion, of military aircraft non-structural components. With recent development of Metal RubberTM (MR), we now have the opportunity to implement such Polymer MEMS nanostructured sensors into coatings and materials. MRTM, a new free-standing multifunctional nanostructured material that has high electrical-conductivity, low modulus, and low weight, can be used as an in-situ sensor of chemical modifications and breakdown of surface coatings. NanoSonic has established techniques to control multiple constitutive material properties in coatings and free-standing organic/inorganic thin and thick materials using molecular layer-by-layer ESA processes, by varying the type, size, and structure of incorporated molecules. We would use this low-cost method to fabricate conformal conductive coating materials that could be easily applied on existing composite structural components. MRTM elements may be incorporated into the coating by patterning or ink-jet printing. Integrating co-located interconnected RF circuits into the coating would allow for remote RF mapping of the coating properties.