DON26BZ01-NV029 — Low Cost Malleable Metastructure Adherents for Maritime Environments

Award Maximum: $140,000 (Base) / $100,000 (Option) Period of Performance: 6 months (Base) + 6 months (Option) Phase Type: Phase I

OBJECTIVE: Develop a material with the ability to rapidly and cost effectively produce metastructures or frequency selective surfaces which can be adhered to naval assets or similar systems (e.g., apertures, super-structures substructures, deployable, etc.).

DESCRIPTION: Several industries and Department of War (DOW) systems rely on Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS), metastructures, or comparable materials to protect critical assets, including communications, radar, and Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) systems. Similar materials are also used as protective coatings for Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) systems—particularly in airborne and maritime applications—where they are consistently challenged by harsh maritime environments.

Furthermore, the manufacturing and application of these materials are often considered expensive, time-consuming, and technically demanding due to platform-specific requirements. Recent constraints within the industrial base—such as the reduced availability of certain materials like CFC resins and polymers—have further exacerbated production challenges.

This SBIR topic seeks to develop alternative solutions that offer frequency selectivity, moldability (to conform to existing superstructures, substructures, or complex geometries), and resilience to maritime environments. The reduction in availability and manufacturability of certain composites—due to regulatory restrictions or hazardous byproducts—has created an urgent need to pursue viable alternatives. Operating apertures across multiple frequency octaves remains a significant challenge for manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

The primary objective of this SBIR effort is to develop a material capable of broadband performance—defined here as the ability to provide frequency response across multiple octaves compared to existing materials. Specifically, the solution should: (1) demonstrate through-performance (S21) in a near-field environment across multiple frequency octaves; (2) operate effectively across multiple bands of the EO/IR spectrum; (3) adhere to materials with sharp angles and varied geometries; (4) be capable of long-term storage without degradation; (5) withstand at least five years in a maritime environment without significant performance degradation (defined as <0.5 dB variance); (6) be rapidly applied to a surface with minimal preparation, achieving adherence in less than 24 hours; (7) demonstrate a reduction in abatement of signal return in multiple bands; (8) demonstrate that at scale the production cost can be lower than production of existing materials.

PHASE I: (1) Material Concept Evaluation — Investigate and identify novel materials or coatings capable of providing broadband frequency selectivity across RF, microwave, and EO/IR domains; (2) Environmental Compatibility Assessment — Assess the proposed material's theoretical or lab-based resistance to maritime environmental stressors; (3) Geometric and Structural Adaptability — Demonstrate initial feasibility for adherence or conformability of materials to complex substructures and geometries; (4) Initial Performance Modeling — Develop simulation-based predictions or benchtop validations of frequency performance across multiple octaves; (5) Risk and Mitigation Planning — Identify potential risks and propose mitigation strategies for eventual shipboard or airborne qualification.

PHASE II: (1) Prototype Fabrication — Design, manufacture, and deliver functional prototype(s); (2) Performance Validation Across Frequency Bands — Validate the prototype's frequency-selective behavior through laboratory and controlled-environment testing; (3) EO/IR Performance Characterization — Conduct EO/IR transmission testing; (4) Environmental Endurance Testing — Evaluate long-term durability under simulated maritime conditions; (5) Rapid Application Demonstration — Demonstrate field-level application procedures confirming surface adherence with minimal preparation and application time under 24 hours; (6) Platform Integration Assessment — Assess integration potential with at least one DOW-relevant application.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: (1) Qualification for Operational Platforms; (2) Transition to DOW Programs of Record; (3) Production Scale-Up and Cost Reduction; (4) Commercial Dual-Use Expansion — including broadband antennas, protective camera housings, or telecom equipment enclosures; (5) Sustainment and Lifecycle Support Plan.

KEYWORDS: Frequency Selective Surfaces, Metastructures, Engineered Materials, Coatings, Metamaterials, Phase Changing Materials