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Press Release Eikos Awarded U.S. Army SBIR Phase II Contract FRANKLIN, MA (April 22, 2008) - Innovator of Nanotube Technology based Products to Develop Radiation Hard Conductive Coatings for Space Applications. Eikos, Inc., an innovator of highly transparent carbon nanotube (CNT) inks for conductive coatings and circuits, announced it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract by the U.S. Army. Under the program, managed through the US Air Force, Kirkland AFB, NM, Eikos will further the adaptation of its Inviscon® coating for use as a radiation stable, electrostatic discharge, and antireflective layer on solar cell cover glass for space applications. In the first research phase of the program Eikos demonstrated that its Invisicon® carbon nanotube composite coating technology offers a superior replacement for the traditional indium tin oxide (ITO) magnesium fluoride (MgF2) EDS/AR cover glass coatings, which darkens over time upon exposure in space - diminishing the cells efficiency. Consequently the size of the solar arrays must be matched the power requirements of the craft based on the “darkened” efficiency of the cells, increasing both acquisition and deployment cost. Because the Invisicon® coatings do not darken the use of the technology would reduce the array size for a given end of life power requirement resulting in reduced acquisition and deployment costs and could extend the useful life timeline of the spacecraft. "The space solar industry is closely monitoring our exciting development efforts, since our work could enable reduced acquisition and deployment costs; and extended solar cell life," explains Joe Piche, CEO of Eikos. "We are pleased to continue our work under this Phase II program." About Eikos Contact ### |