The objective of this Pilot Project is to promote innovation in micro and nanotechnology for power generation, energy conversion and microrocket applications in close collaboration with end-user in aerospace industry, defense related sciences, and civilian applications. The overall goal is to progress towards commercialization.

A. Nano based energetic material for advanced energetic systems

Energetic components or systems contain explosive/propellant materials with high energy densities that provide direct energy, released in a controlled manner, to perform a variety of functions in applications ranging from military and civilian aircraft, space vehicles and missiles, defense weaponry, automotive safety, demolition, and mining. For a few years, experts pointed out the need to develop safe high performance devices in the field of micro detonic and micropyrotechnics for space and military applications: the main focus is to have more powerful and reliable energetic micro devices that remain insensitive to unplanned stimuli and do not operate until it is desired.

The development of molecular engineering and nanotechnology will permit the development of a new generation of nano based energetic components (explosive and propellant), with increased overall energy and reactivity while improving safety.

Two applications are chosen to guide the pilot project:

1. Nano novel energetic material for ignition electronic chip

End users: Automotive applications, Military actors, MBDA, TDA

2. Novel energetic composition and technology for micro thrusters applications

End users: space actors, ESA, CNES, Angstrom Space Center

B. Novel material for the electrical micro generation

A huge amount of work from the academic laboratory and industrial research center is done on the electrical power devices including electrochemical and thermochemical devices as micro fuel cells, micro batteries, and so on. Great efforts have also been made on power MEMS. The famous power MEMS is the micro-scale combustor that can achieve high power densities.