TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Flowable Spray Dried Composite Nanofibers

Opportunity: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its flowable spray dried composite nanofibers. Background: Advanced heat resistant coatings are essential for the energy, automotive, and aviation industries. One of the advanced materials being considered for thermal barrier coating applications is ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs), and one of the advanced processes for manufacturing UHTC involves spray drying of nanofibers into the feedstock for 3D printing UHTC. The challenge is producing feedstock that is composed of spherical agglomerates; there is a great need for enhanced powder flowability of these fibers. Description: LLNL researchers refined custom mixing techniques and formulations in order to avoid clumping and fiber agglomerations for a flowable tailored feedstock that produces a homogeneous, survivable thermal barrier coating. Formulation improvements coupled with unexpected nozzle coupling from Buchi spray dry components leads to the production of fiber containing spray dried feedstock that can survive thermal cycling. The fabrication method produces spray dried ceramic nanofiber composite feedstock. Advantages/Benefits: Value Proposition: Improved performance of large-scale fiber reinforced composites to become ultra-high temperature composites (UHTCs) Capability to spray dry difficult-to-process nanofibers to enable high temperature composite thermal barrier coatings Potential Applications: Ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) Thermal Barrier Coatings Development Status: Current stage of technology development: TRL 3 LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention. LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process. Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's flowable spray dried composite fibers should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following: Company Name and address. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology. Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's flowable spray dried composite fibers. The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL's Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below. Written responses should be directed to: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Innovation and Partnerships Office P.O. Box 808, L-779 Livermore, CA 94551-0808 Attention: IL-13801