MOLECULAR REBAR DESIGN LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF203-CSO1

Description

The Problem: Carbon nanotubes as individual tubes have properties of high strength and exceptional electrical and thermal properties. However, carbon nanotubes as-made in the reactor, are formed as bundles of millions of entangled nanotubes in 2-50-micron sized particles that are useful in minimal applications. The Solution: Molecular Rebar Design (MRD) was formed in 2010 to invent, patent, develop, produce, and commercialize technology that converts as-made carbon nanotubes into value-creating products. MRD has developed a breakthrough technology to produce functionalized and dispersed multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Molecular Rebar®). Using unrefined bundles of carbon nanotubes, MRD discovered how to produce individual tubes that allow for very significant changes in materials and applications, changing performance limits, and relationships. The MRD-patented new composition of matter has been applied with different matrixes such as rubber, epoxy, lead and lithium batteries, and water-based additives, for applications such as tires, coating, energy storage, vaccination delivery, and more. The changes in the range of performance are usually quite large, from 30-300%. The Objective: The objective of this Phase I is to align MRD’s advanced technological capabilities with a relevant stakeholder and determine how to proceed on a Phase II project.