Jan. 11, 2000


BOZEMAN, Mont. - Montec Research of Butte, Montana, recently signed an agreement with NASA's Langley Research Center (NASA-LaRC) in Hampton, Virginia, for research on advanced aerospace materials. The new agreement, which was brokered by the MSU TechLink Center in Bozeman, enables Montec and NASA-LaRC to collaborate on ways to thermally spray high-performance polymers developed by NASA.

Montec Research, the research division of Resodyn Corporation, is one of Montana¹s best-known research-and-development companies. Since 1993, it has received 20 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards from eight different federal agencies. Montec has been working closely with NASA-LaRC through an STTR grant to develop new ways to spray polyimide materials developed by NASA-LaRC using Montec¹s proprietary technology.

There is a major need for advanced, high-performance polyimide foams for use as thermal and acoustical insulation for a broad range of NASA, aerospace, military, and other applications. However, thermal spraying of polyimides requires specialty formulations and advanced spraying methods. The new project will help determine the best formulations, methods, and use for polyimide sprays and is expected to greatly expand potential applications of Montec¹s novel spraying process.

Successful results from this collaborative research will enable NASA to more quickly introduce polyimide application technology into its space programs. In addition, these results will assist Montec in developing commercial and defense-related applications for the NASA polyimides, including large-area spraying for thermal and acoustic insulation and manufacture of insulation tiles, ablative components, and water repellent barriers.

This agreement is the third project that MSU TechLink has established between NASA-LaRC and companies in TechLink¹s region during the past year. TechLink is funded by NASA to partner companies in Montana and the surrounding region with NASA centers for joint research and technology transfer. Its overriding purpose is to contribute to the success of both high-tech companies and traditional resource-based industries in the state and region.

Contact:

Dr. Will Swearingen
TechLink
(406) 994-7704
wds@montana.edu

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