Development of Electroactive Polymers (EAP) and EAP-Based Devices

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA's missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology. This specific research opportunity focuses on the development of high performance, high efficiency electroactive polymers (EAPs), particularly electromechanically active polymers by controlling molecular chemical structures and morphology. Mechanisms of electromechanical properties of EAPs will be investigated by laboratory experimental and computational studies. The research will also develop prototype devices, micro-electromechanical systems, and artificial muscles, using EAPs for aerospace applications at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.