The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded TangiTek, LLC a small business innovation research (SBIR) grant for $224,000 for its R&D efforts into 3D flocked carbon fiber microwave absorbers. The goal is to development extremely thin, lightweight materials capable of providing high levels of EMI/RFI suppression without adding significant volume or weight to an electronic design.
The materials will be suitable for applications in many different markets, including aerospace and defense, automotive electronics, telecommunications, and consumer electronics—essentially, wherever wide-spectrum response is required from an exceptionally thin shielding material. The design goal also includes developing a material that is cost-effective enough to be competitive in all of those market areas.
“The National Science Foundation supports small businesses with the most innovative, cutting-edge ideas that have the potential to become great commercial successes and make huge societal impacts,” said Barry Johnson, director of the NSF’s Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships. “We hope that this seed funding will spark solutions to some of the most important challenges of our time across all areas of science and technology.”
“We are honored and delighted to receive this seed funding from NSF to continue the development and bring to market this new material to improve the performance of electronic devices and improve energy efficiency,” replied Robert L. Doneker, manager of TangiTek. “We look forward to working with Professor Branimir Pejcinovic and students at the Portland State University Electromagnetics Lab to characterize and model this novel carbon fiber composite absorber.
“We recognize and thank Mr. Mark Brady at the Oregon Business Development Department for support in proposal preparation,” Doneker added. “We are now focused on addressing the technical challenges of successfully scaling and commercializing our innovation.”
