SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ULTRALIGHT CONDUCTIVE SILVER AEROGELS - Photo - Photo - Photo
- Notice Date
- 8/23/2018
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 238990
— All Other Specialty Trade Contractors
- Contracting Office
- Department of Energy, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (DOE Contractor), Industrial Partnerships & Commercialization, 7000 East Avenue, L-795, Livermore, California, 94550
- ZIP Code
- 94550
- Solicitation Number
- FBO387-18
- Archive Date
- 9/25/2018
- Point of Contact
- Connie L Pitcock, Phone: 925-422-1072
- E-Mail Address
-
pitcock1@llnl.gov
(pitcock1@llnl.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Silver Nanowire Aerogel on a column of a single strand of human hair Silver Nanowire Aerogel atop a delicate flower Silver Nanowire Aerogel 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 further develop and commercialize its innovative method for fabricating ultralight conductive silver aerogels. Background : Metal foams (or porous metals) represent a new class of materials with unique combinations of properties of light weight high surface area, high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity that could potentially enable various new applications in electronics, thermal insulation, sensing, catalysis and energy storage. Conventional methods for producing metal foams include powder metallurgical process, combustion methods, de-alloying, or plating of metal films on existing porous templates. Although, these methods either demand critical manufacturing conditions (e.g. high temperature, high pressure, and/or strict oxygen exclusion), are expensive, or not scalable for practical device applications. Recent advances in metal nanowire (NW) synthesis enable new methodologies of metal foam production under mild conditions can be scaled up and with flexible materials choices. Starting with an aqueous suspension of metal NWs, ultralight porous metal aerogels can be formed by freeze-drying or critical point drying. Besides copper nanowire (CuNWs), there is also an attempt to use silver nanowire (AgNWs) to produce conductive aerogels because Ag is more conductive than Cu and more chemically stable against oxidation. Description : LLNL researchers have developed a new method of using silver nanowires for fabrication of ultralight conductive silver aerogel monoliths with predicable densities and excellent properties. Silver nanowire building blocks were prepared by polyol synthesis and purified by selective precipitation. Silver aerogels were produced by freeze-casting nanowire aqueous suspensions followed by thermal sintering to weld the nanowire junctions. As-prepared silver aerogels have unique anisotropic microporous structures with density precisely controlled by the nanowire concentration down to 4.8 mg/cm3 and electrical conductivity up to 51,000 S/m. Mechanical studies show AgNW aerogels exhibit "elastic stiffening" behavior with Young's modulus up to 16,800 Pa. Advantages : LLNL’s new method allows for fabricating ultralight AgNW aerogels with predicable densities, pore structures, electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. Using this method, LLNL produced high-performance Ag foams with an ultra-low density down to 4.8 mg/cm3, a high electrical conductivity up to 51,000 S/m and a high Young's modulus of 16,800 Pa. Fabricating Ag foams will allow manufacturers new materials that are light weight and customized conductivity. This can enable new designs of electronic and medical devices. Potential Applications : This technology may be useful for electronics, energy storage, catalytic supports, fuel cells, sensing and medical materials. Development Status: LLNL has filed a patent for its new method for fabricating ultralight conductive silver aerogels (LLNL case #IL13197). 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 ultralight conductive silver aerogels should provide a written statement of interest, which includes the following: 1. Company Name and address. 2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact. 3. A description of corporate expertise and facilities relevant to commercializing this technology. Written responses should be directed to: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Innovation and Partnerships Office P.O. Box 808, L-795 Livermore, CA 94551-0808 Attention: FBO 387-18 Please provide your written statement within thirty (30) days from the date this announcement is published to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's ultralight conductive silver aerogels.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOE/LLNL/LL/FBO387-18/listing.html)
- Record
- SN05053161-W 20180825/180823231529-5e5830441e6b5696273b05a432a3be48 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |