Low Density Materials

Program Description

Reducing the weight of aerospace platforms, while improving robustness and reliability, reduces costs and emissions and increases payload capacity and overall performance. The Low-Density Materials portfolio supports transformative, basic research in materials design and processing to enable weight reductions with concurrent enhancements in performance and function. Such materials can transform the design of future U.S. Air Force aerospace and cyber systems for applications, which include airframes, space vehicles, satellites, and a multitude of load-bearing components and systems. Key scientific areas supported by the program include: materials discovery, processing and characterization; nanotechnology; integrated computational material science and engineering; composite and hybrid materials processing; and interface/interphase science.

Among the routes to achieving game-changing improvements in low-density materials currently emphasized within the program are: (1) materials discovery and processing to increase properties and performance of structural materials, e.g., matrix resins, coatings, and reinforcing fibers and nanoparticulates; (2) multiscale modeling of material degradation mechanisms to improve material life prediction capability and minimize overdesign of load-bearing structures; (3) understanding the impact of nanoscale porosity on mechanical properties and engineering of porous composites; and (4) the creation and interfacial understanding of hybrid structures that combine materials of different classes, scales, and properties to provide synergistic and tailorable performance.

You are highly encouraged to contact our Program Officer prior to developing a full proposal to discuss alignment of your ideas with our program goals, your proposed methods, and the scope of your proposed effort.

Solicitation
BAA

Program Reviews & Meetings

Program Overview
AFOSR Spring Review 2014 Presentation by then program officer, Dr. Joycelyn Harrison

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Contact Information
Dr. Jaimie Tiley (Acting)
AFOSR/RTA-1
Email: LDMaterials@us.af.mil