New Fields of investigation

ADVANCED MATERIALS ARE THE FOUNDATION of new functionality, higher performance, lighter weight and affordability. HRL advances the state of the art in materials science and chemistry by developing and maturing promising technologies that can differentiate our customers & next generation products and services. Our multidisciplinary science and engineering teams work from the atomic to the macroscopic levels in search of innovative solutions that address the needs of the future.

ADAPTIVE MATERIALS
AND RECONFIGURABLE STRUCTURES

In the areas of adaptive materials and reconfigurable structures, imagine lightweight foam that is as stiff as steel, or being able to change the shape of a structure at the flick of a switch. HRL scientists and engineers use their advanced knowledge in materials science, mechanics, physics, and chemistry to investigate and develop these concepts and others like them.We create the latest smart and biologically-inspired materials technologies in research programs on mechanical actuation, morphing, and materials that adapt their shapes to different conditions. We pioneered the development of novel composite materials of variable stiffness that are the basis for morphing and on-demand structural control. HRL has also developed innovative high-strain, high-force mechanisms with superior energy density for ultra-compact actuation and innovative distributed control mechanisms. These can make even large structural surfaces reconfigurable. We have also created processes for architecting microscale materials to provide high mechanical strength with minimal weight, as well as biologically-inspired chemical processes for the control and assembly of materials at the nano (billionth of a meter) level. These new synthetic routes provide pathways to ultra-lightweight structures and embedded functions such as vibration damping, thermal regulation, and energy storage.

ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

Because the reliable availability of energy is a major requirement for the operation of any system, HRL's dedicated energy technologies team has collaborated to meet the increasing challenges of both energy generation and storage. HRL's extensive knowledge of electrochemical systems and diagnostic tools is being used to develop energy management algorithms and reliable prediction methods for the future products of our LLC Member companies.We also continue to pursue novel thermodynamic approaches coupled with nanoscale materials technologies to address the density, energy, and speed challenges of on-vehicle hydrogen storage. Our research leverages advances in nanotechnology and microscaling to develop new thermal management materials that improve the spreading and transport of heat in systems. Our recent research in rechargeable and unique biologically-based fuel cell technologies will provide novel routes to powering distributed, remote, and unattended systems.

developing technologies