Tech Briefs

Materials & Manufacturing

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

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Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
A highly sensitive, CMOS-compatible, broadband photodetector was created by tailoring material defects.
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Briefs: Materials
The material could enable applications such as antennas that change frequencies on the fly or gripper arms for delicate or heavy objects.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A liquid crystal elastomer can be programmed to exhibit controllable, dynamic behavior without the need for complex electronic components.
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Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs
A new way of making polymers adhere to surfaces may enable better biomedical sensors and implants.
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Briefs: Medical
The domino effect is used to design deployable systems that expand quickly with a small push and are stable and locked into place after deployment.
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Briefs: Energy
This new design could conserve energy used for defrosting airplanes, appliances, and more.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
It can be used both in small, portable devices for field inspections and in very large detectors that use arrays of crystals.
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Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
These “developable mechanisms” are built into the surfaces of structures.
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Briefs: Medical
This gel releases short gene sequences into the heart muscle to heal it following a heart attack.
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Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
This technology could help control driverless cars and automated warehouses.
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Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Square trusses replace round for enhanced strength and robotics compatibility.
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Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
The domino effect is used to design deployable systems that expand quickly with a small push and are stable and locked into place after deployment.
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Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Manufacturers, medical device companies, and others can use this 3D printing software driven by artificial intelligence (AI).
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Additive Manufacturing Method for Sub-Microscale Three-Dimensional Structures
Applications include MEMS, microlattice fabrication, and other sub-microscale 3D structures with a broad range of materials.
Briefs: Materials
The coating could make lightweight lithium metal batteries safe and long-lasting for the next generation of electric vehicles.
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Briefs: Materials
Hardware and software tweak microwave patterns to discover the most efficient way to identify objects.
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Briefs: Materials
The new body armor can safeguard against even more powerful firearms during combat.
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Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
This new 3D printer can print an object the size of an adult human in just a couple of hours.
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Briefs: Materials
The coating protects parking decks, bridges, concrete piers, offshore platforms, buildings, and cooling towers.
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Briefs: Materials
The adhesive that binds wet surfaces within seconds could be used to heal wounds or implant medical devices.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
These materials can be used in soft robotics, self-healing electronics, and medical devices.
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Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
The electrospun nanofibers are used for wound healing and 3D matrices for biological tissues.
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Briefs: Software
The newest PLCs can directly access Internet resources, much like a mobile device, to obtain information for improving operations.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A new method provides a more efficient, safer, and cost-effective way to produce cadmium telluride material for solar cells or other applications.
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Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs
These carbon-based fillers can be used in thermally conductive clothing such as liquid-cooled garments.
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Briefs: Materials
This imaging technique could impact optical communications and signal processing.
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Briefs: Imaging
This work could accelerate the development of flexible electronics.
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Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs
The lasers are small and efficient enough to fit on a microchip.
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Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
The basis for the technology is a special resin that can be cured with UV light.
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