Mehran Tehrani
University of Texas at Austin
This project will design, manufacture, and characterize ultra-conducting copper nanocomposite wires for high voltage applications. Atomistic simulations and machine learning will provide optimal conductor designs. The theoretically designed structures will be fabricated, processed into a wire form, and characterized under lunar-relevant environment for high voltage power transmission (HVPT). The higher electrical conductivity of the proposed materials, compared with copper, translates directly to a lower HVPT cable weight or decreased electricity waste, significantly reducing resistive losses or weight. Therefore, developing ultra-conductors is of utmost importance for all NASA missions where weight and energy savings are at a premium, specifically for a sustained human presence on the moon. In addition to an enhanced conductivity per weight, the proposed copper nanocomposites will be more radiation-resistant, and their performance and integrity less affected by the extreme lunar temperature fluctuations.
