Definitive Contract NNJ07JE25C by National Aeronautics And Space Administration with Agave Biosystems Incorporated, Mod 5

THIS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IS DIRECTED TOWARD A CRITICAL NEED FOR THE CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE AND FUTURE SPACECRAFT: TRACE CONTAMINANT CONTROL. THE RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT EFFORT IS DIRECTED AT IMPORTANT TRACE GASES OF INTEREST TO NASA, INCLUDING CARBON MONOXIDE, AMMONIA, ALCOHOLS AND FORMALDEHYDE. THE GOAL IS LOW TEMPERATURE CATALYTIC OXIDATION AND REGENERATIVE ADSORPTION, BOTH OF WHICH ARE OF HIGH INTEREST. THE PROPOSED SYSTEM IS REGENERABLE AND EXPECTED TO HAVE LOWER EQUIVALENT SYSTEMS MASS AND IMPROVED PERFORMANCE TO CONVENTIONAL (ACTIVATED CARBON) SYSTEMS. OUTSIDE OF NASA MARKETS INCLUDE APPLICATIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL AIR FILTRATION, POLLUTIONS ABATEMENT, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY. THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR SCALE-UP OF THE MESH MATERIALS HAVE POTENTIAL FOR SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCING THE COST OVER THE INITIAL CONCEPT EVALUATED DURING THE PHASE I ACTIVITY. THE PROPOSAL FOCUSES ON AN AREA OF HIGH RELEVANCE TO NASA CONSTELLATION PROGRAM: SPACECRAFT CABIN TRACE CONTAMINANT CONTROL. THE APPROACH IS VERY NOVEL AND INVOLVES A CNT COVERED STAINLESS STEEL MESH INTEGRATED OF FUNCTIONALIZED WITH MATERIALS TO IMPROVE ITS CATALYTIC OXIDATION PROPERTIES (FOR REMOVAL OF CARBON MONOXIDE, ALCOHOLS AND FORMALDEHYDE) AND ADSORPTIVE PROPERTIES (FOR REMOVAL OF AMMONIA). THE PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY EXPLOITS THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF CNTS WITH RESPECT TO HIGH ELECTRICAL AND THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY AND SURFACE AREA TO VOLUME RATIO. THE SMALL BUSINESS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTION PROVIDES COMPLEMENTARY EXPERIENCE AND FACILITIES, ALTHOUGH NEITHER INCLUDE SPECIFIC EXPERTISE IN ATMOSPHERIC TRACE CONTAMINANT CONTROL. THE PHASE II EFFORT INCLUDES RISK IN THE AREA OF AMMONIA ADSORPTION, WHICH HAD LESS EMPHASIS DURING PHASE I. THE SURVEY AND DISCUSSION OF LITERATURE COULD HAVE BEEN IMPROVED IF IT INCLUDED CONTENT ON STATE OF THE ART TRACE CONTAMINANT CONTROL SYSTEMS, ATMOSPHERIC REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING SPACECRAFT MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE CONCENTRATIONS (SMAC) OF TRACE GASES, AND AMMONIA ADSORPTION.