NEI CORPORATION — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: A14-079
NEI CORPORATION — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Defense.
Phase I SBIR feasibility signal
- Phase I awards fund proof-of-concept work. For capture teams, they mark early interest from Department of Defense in a technical approach.
- Watch for Phase II follow-ons from the same firm/topic family — that conversion path is where budgets and transition pressure rise.
- Obligated amount $99,988. Cross-check similar awards in the same agency and technology tags for going-rate context.
- Topic code A14-079 links this award to a solicitation family — search the same topic stem for incumbents and recompete timing.
- Amount
- $99,988
- Agency
- Department of Defense · Army
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Topic
- A14-079
- Solicitation
- 2014.1
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- NJ
- Period
- 2014-07-31 → 2015-01-28
Description
There is an unmet need in the US Army for advancing the state of the art in materials for Transparent Armor (TA), especially with respect to abrasion resistance of the exterior surface. Stones are frequently kicked up within the convoy resulting in cracked/broken windshields which need to be replaced. This necessitates the need for improved TA performance as it relates to low-speed impacts and abrasion. Nanoscale materials can offer a solution to these challenges because of the ability to engineer new structures with novel properties. Building upon our previous efforts in fabricating nanocomposites, and working in collaboration with a manufacturer of TAs, we propose to demonstrate the feasibility of a novel polymer-based nanocomposite composed of nanoscale fibers that is abrasion resistant, tough and transparent for use as a laminate over the outer surface of the TA. The propsed design will create an abrasion resistant front-facing surface and will allow absorption of the low velocity impact energy from the stones hitting the TA. The Phase I feasibility study will focus on improving rock strike and abrasion resistance, with future efforts bringing the technology through full ballistic qualification testing. Working with a manufacturer of TAs will enable rapid TRL/MRL advancement.