Controlled Deposition and Alignment of Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Langley Research Center researchers are experts at producing carbon nanotube (CNT)-based sensors for structural health monitoring (SHM). The sensors can be embedded in structures of all geometries to monitor conditions both inside and at the surface of the structure to continuously sense changes. Having accumulated a body of knowledge on how to deposit and align CNTs, NASA is adept at manipulating the CNTs into specific orientations to create small, powerful, and flexible sensors. One of the sensors created by NASA is a highly flexible sensor for crack growth detection and strain field mapping that features a very dense and highly ordered array of single-walled CNTs. NASA is seeking companies that are interested in licensing technology or engaging NASA in joint research in the area of CNT sensors.