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Technology update
Material technology transfer to industry
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In an effort to develop new partnerships with industry and to further
its own materials research and development, NASA participated in several
technology transfer sessions at SAMPE 2000, held May 22-25 in Long Beach,
CA. "SAMPE 2000 served as a launching point for NASA to create
high-impact partnerships to achieve its technology goals better, cheaper,
and faster," said Michael Weingarten, Marketing Director of Commercial
Technology Programs at NASA Headquarters. "Industry will achieve the
same benefits while also creating new products and markets to benefit the
Nation's economy."
At SAMPE 2000, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center showcased its Thermal
Gasket, an electrically conductive substrate coated on both sides with a
thermoplastic or braze alloy. This low-cost technology can fill
imperfections and adhere much in the same way a liquid sealant or braze
does, creating a zero-leakage joint that can easily be disassembled for
service. Another Marshall technology uses a four-part process to make
composite layered tanks and pipes capable of storing and carrying
chemically aggressive fluids.
Offering an alternative to traditional solution spinning techniques,
plus environmental and cost-savings advantages, NASA Langley Research
Center presented Novel Polyimide Fibers and an innovative process to
manufacture them. NASA Glenn Research Center showcased its UV Curable
Polyimides, which can be cured at or near room temperature using
ultraviolet light. This approach to the curing of polyimides avoids
some of the disadvantages of condensation-chemistry based approaches.
Frank Bokulich
Aerospace Engineering August 2000
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