NASA Langley Research Center, Industry Assistance Office, MS 144 Hampton, Va. 23681-0001

A -- COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MANUFACTURING OF CARBON-CARBON PISTONS POC Gary Hughes, NASA Technology Applications Team (919) 541-7205. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seeks to transfer into commercial application a suite of patented technologies that will enable a company to provide carbon-carbon pistons to a variety of markets. These technologies, developed at NASA Langley Research Center, have resulted in prototype pistons which have been tested in gasoline engines. NASA holds three key patents for these technologies and is offering licenses for commercial development. A Technical Briefing will be held at Langley on March 27, 1996 to provide interested companies with detailed information on the technologies and the process that will be followed to establish licenses for commercialization. THE CARBON-CARBON PISTON--The carbon-carbon piston is a new piston concept which has been developed to overcome a number of shortcomings of aluminum pistons. There are several advantages of a carbon-carbon piston: they operate at higher temperatures without piston failure, carbon-carbon pistons have greater reliability at high power output levels, they can be designed to have less reciprocating mass because carbon-carbon is stronger at elevated temperatures and lighter than aluminum, and they use leaner fuel-air mixtures to achieve higher fuel economy and much lower hydrocarbon emissions. POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL USES--High-performance, light-weight internal combustion gasoline engines or diesel engines automotive engines engines (NASCAR, Formula One, Motorcross, Go-cart, etc.) piston applications (natural gas pumps, etc.) motorcycles, hovercraft, jet-skis, and other recreational vehicle engines aircraft engines, outboard motors, and other weight critical applications BENEFITS--a lower density than aluminum alloy, lower reciprocating mass a low coefficient of thermal expansion its strength and stiffness at operating temperatures up to 2500 degrees F. tailorable thermal conductivity excellent resistance to thermal shock greater reliability at high-power output levels use leaner fuel-air mixtures to achieve higher fuel economy, lower hydrocarbon emissions, and/or greater power output THE TECHNOLOGY--used in high- performance internal combustion engines are usually made of an aluminum alloy. The strength and stiffness of aluminum alloys decrease rapidly as material temperatures rise above 350 degrees F. (the melting temperature of aluminum alloy is approximately 1100 degrees F.) and the coefficient of thermal expansion of aluminum alloy is relatively large. High-performance engines are generally designed to have high power-to-weight ratios and to operate at moderately high-power output levels for extended periods or at maximum power output levels for short periods. High-performance engines operate with exhaust gas temperatures at about 1275 degrees F. If exhaust gas temperatures exceed 1350 degrees F. because of lean fuel-air mixture conditions, or if pressure loads dramatically increase because of detonation, piston failure is likely. OPTIONS FOR COMMERCIALIZATION--This technology opportunity is part of the NASA Technology Transfer Program. The program seeks to stimulate development of commercial applications from NASA- developed technology. The program goal is to advance the state of the art by developing ringed and ringless carbon-carbon pistons, carbon-carbon cylinder liners, and carbon-carbon engine components. However, the subject of the March briefing will be limited to the patented piston technologies. There are a variety of licensing options available that will be fully explored at the briefing. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY--U.S. Patent No. 4,736,676 Composite Piston Patent No. 4,683,809 Lightweight Piston Patent No. 4,909,133 Lightweight Piston Architecture COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM (COOPPR) The Langley Research Center's Commercial Opportunity Program implements NASA's management philosophy for enhancing utilization of government-developed technology by the private sector. It does so by integrating the combined interests and talents of Langley management, technical staff, Patent Counsel, and the Technology Applications Group to match potential manufacturers with identified NASA proprietary technologies available for licensing and commercialization. COOPPRs are held when a Langley-developed technology is found to be of broad interest to industry and when multiple license requests are received for the same intellectual property. 1. HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS NASA identifies companies with experience and competence in related technologies, related manufacturing capabilities, track record in commercializing similar products, marketing organization, and stable financial condition. After attending a technical briefing, those companies interested in joining with NASA in a joint Space Act Development Agreement and the accompanying license agreement will be invited to submit detailed plans for commercializing the proposed technology. Thus, Langley's Commercial Opportunity Program leads to a working partnership between industry and NASA to transfer advanced and commercially valuable technology to the private sector for commercial product applications. 2. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO Companies interested in attending a technical briefing on March 27, 1996 to learn more about the Carbon-Carbon Piston should contact: NASA Technology Applications Team Triangle Institute, C. Gary Hughes, Box 12194, Triangle Park, NC 27709 (919) 541-7205 FAX (919) 541-6221, EMAIL:hughes@rti.org. The briefing will be held at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon on March 27, 1996. Afternoon appointments will be available for private discussion. 3. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW NASA intends to commercialize this technology by patent license and/or joint Space Act Development Agreement. Following the briefing, companies will be invited to submit a commercialization plan for a joint development and patent license agreement to Dr. George Helfrich, Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 212, Hampton, VA 23681-0001. Commercialization plans will be reviewed by an in-house evaluation team of civil service NASA employees composed of representatives from the following: Technology Applications Group, Patent Counsel, and the carbon-carbon piston technology team. The evaluation team may consult with outside advisors as required. Following selection, a Federal Register notice of intent to grant license will be published. (0040)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0001 19960212\A-0001.SOL)