MITRE's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development sponsors a research effort investigating carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composite materials in commercial aircraft.
Impact of Nanomaterials in Airframes on Commercial Aviation
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The MITRE Corporation's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) sponsors a research effort investigating carbon nanotube reinforced polymer (CNRP) composite materials in commercial aircraft, the performance of such aircraft, and their potential impact on the air traffic system. This paper discusses the overall goals of this research and highlights the methods for investigating nanomaterials, notional CNRP aircraft performance, and the potential impact of such a vehicle on airports and airspace. In the last decade, nanotechnology concepts have motivated interdisciplinary science and engineering on the atomic and molecular scale, with a significant influence on materials research. Since Ijima's discovery of the carbon nanotube in 1991, stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum materials with multifunctional capabilities have been realized in carbon nanotube technologies. Carbon nanotube enhanced materials especially fit the needs of the aerospace industry, where materials with high strength-to-weight ratios dominate designs.