Materials & Coatings

Access our comprehensive library of technical briefs on materials and coatings, from engineering experts at NASA and government, university, and commercial laboratories.

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Briefs: RF & Microwave Electronics
Flexible carbon nanotube fibers woven into clothing gather accurate EKG and heart rate.
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Briefs: Aerospace
Applications include space structures, emergency shelters, backpack solar collectors, and inspection of hazardous environments.
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Briefs: Energy
Incorporating semiconductor components, microscopic robots are made to walk with standard electronic signals.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
The 2D materials boost device performance for electronic devices, solar cells, batteries, and medical equipment.
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Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Directly visualizing external stresses of plastics is useful in development of materials with improved mechanical properties.
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Briefs: Lighting
This paves the way for innovative and more energy-efficient printed electronics.
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Briefs: Materials
The material could be used to create housing in outer space.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
The new printing method coaxes particles and droplets into precise patterns using the power of sound.
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Briefs: Materials
With this advance, so-called “flextronics” move closer to reality.
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Briefs: Transportation
The technology could be key to lighter, less expensive, and long-lasting batteries for future electric vehicles.
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Briefs: Test & Measurement
Growing large-area graphene on optical substrates enables use in photonics devices.
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
The process produces rapid, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly material.
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Briefs: Materials
Fano Resonance Optical Coatings (FROCs) can both transmit and reflect the same color simultaneously.
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Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
The approach achieves near 100% light emission efficiency at all brightness levels.
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Briefs: Energy
A new anode for aqueous batteries uses seawater as an electrolyte.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
High-voltage direct current cables can more efficiently transport electricity over long distances.
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
The protective coating works like body armor for the atomically thin materials.
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Briefs: Imaging
The ultrathin magnet could advance new applications in computing and electronics.
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Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
The method could be applied to carbon waste streams.
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Briefs: AR/AI
The system could one day replace LiDAR and cameras in automated manufacturing, biomedical imaging, and autonomous driving.
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Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs
This combination of technologies could enable developments for many optical applications.
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Briefs: Materials
To enable the development of wearable devices that possess advanced ultraviolet (UV) detection functions, scientists have created a new type of light sensor that is both flexible and highly sensitive.
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Briefs: Aerospace
Vibration-absorbing resonators could better soundproof walls and make vehicles more streamlined.
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Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
The tiny motors mimic how rock climbers navigate inclines.
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Briefs: Energy
The soft and stretchable device converts movement into electricity and can work in wet environments.
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Briefs: Motion Control
The technology could improve the control of prosthetic hands and provide a sense of “touch” for amputees.
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Briefs: Wearables
Researchers have developed graphene-based sensing technology using G-Putty material — a highly malleable graphene blended putty. The printed sensors are 50 times more sensitive than the...
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Briefs: Materials
Applications include manufacturing structural components for aerospace vehicles, cars, trucks, trains, ships, and submarines.
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Briefs: Materials
The reaction converts 90% of plastic to jet fuel and other valuable hydrocarbon products within an hour at moderate temperatures.
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