DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW TYPE OF RADAR ABSORBING MATERIAL

A NOVEL NEW CONCEPT TO DEVELOP AN INEXPENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE RADAR ABSORBING MATERIAL (RAM) IS PROPOSED HERE IN RESPONSE TO THE NAVY'S SBIR PROGRAM SOLICITATION. THE CONCEPT IS TO UTILIZE CROSS-LINKED ABSORBENT POLYMERIC BEADS AS A NEW TYPE OF RAM. CROSS-LINKED POROUS POLYMERIC BEADS ARE HOLLOW MICROSPHERES WITHIN THREE-DIMENSIONAL NETWORK WHICH CAN ABSORB ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE ENERGY AND DISSIPATE THE ENGERGY WITHIN THE THREE- DIMINSIONAL NETWORK CAGE. POLYMERIC BEADS WILL BE SYNTHESIZED WITH SUSPENSION POLYMERIZATION TECHNIQUES. VARIOUS MONOMERS, CO-MONOMERS,AND CROSS- LINGING AGENTS WILL BE EXAMINED TO TEST THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY. IMPORTANT PROPERTIES SUCH AS HEAT-RESISTANCY, THERMAL STABILITY, CHEMICAL-RESISTANCY, TENSILE STRENGTH, PROCESSIBILITY, PARTICLE SIZE EFFECT WILL ALSO BE EXAMINED TO OPTIMIZE MATERIAL SELECTION PROCESS. THE TOP THREE TO FIVE PROMISING CANDIDATES WILL BE IDENTIFIED AND SELECTED IN THE END OF PHASE I WORK FOR LABORATORY TESTING AND EVALUATION. TRI IS COMMITTED TO FOLLOW ON AND TO IMPLEMENT ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMERCIALIZATION FOR PROMISING CANDIDATES IDENTIFIED IN PHASE I.