Power Up your SBIR/STTR Proposal with NEI’s Expertise
Prime contractors, elevate your Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program proposals with NEI Corporation as your trusted subcontractor. Leverage our extensive experience in materials characterization and testing to bring your innovative ideas to life. We offer unmatched insights into the performance of specialty materials across various fields, including: batteries, coatings, bulk materials, electrospinning, fluids, nanotechnology, polymers, and composites.
Why Choose NEI?
NEI’s partnership empowers you to:
- Strengthen your Technical Expertise: Demonstrate a deep understanding of material performance through our in-depth testing capabilities.
- Reduce Development Risks: Mitigate potential challenges by leveraging our knowledge of specialty materials.
- Enhance Proposal Competitiveness: Stand out from the crowd with a comprehensive understanding of material behavior.
NEI Corporation is already SAM registered and has decades of experience with SBIR/STTR programs.
Partner with NEI and unlock the full potential of your SBIR/STTR project.
Capabilities
Select a tab below to learn more about each service we offer.
Materials R&D
Materials Development
Partner with us for advanced materials development, specifically for your application. We combine our intellectual property and technical expertise to develop a material that suits your application’s needs. We create a custom materials solution to meet your requirements through a structured approach involving specified milestones. We will work with you from initial R&D all the way through large scale manufacturing. Your intellectual property rights are fully protected at all times
Core Competencies:
- Battery Materials
- Self-healing Polymers
- Corrosion Protection
- Hard, Scratch Resistant Barrier Coatings
- Polymer Coatings for Fabrics
- Self-Healing Fiber-Composites
- Sorbents for Absorbing Mercury from Flue Gas
- Wastewater Treatment Media
- Sludge Treatment Additives
- Fluoroelastomer Seals and High Performance O-Rings
- Superhydrophobic Surface Treatments
- Custom Materials Synthesis
Powder Characterization
Powder Characterization
Our full powder characterization services include comprehensive physical and structural analysis of powders. Along with powder characterization, we have the capability to conduct quantitative and qualitative phase analysis of solids. These analyses include lattice parameter measurements, structural refinement, crystallite size, identification of crystalline phase and quantity.
Analysis / Test | Options | Turn Around Time |
|---|---|---|
| Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) • Backscattered Electron Detector (BSD) • Secondary Electron Detector (SED) • Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) | • High-resolution imaging (200x - 100,000x) • EDS Elemental Analysis • EDS Elemental Mapping (3+ points) • Analysis and interpretation of SEM data | • 5 - 10 business days • Rush service available (extra fee) |
| Particle Size Analysis (Microtrac S3500) (Range: 10nm - 1000μm) | • Water-based Dispersion • Alcohol-based (ethanol or isopropanol) • Special Solvent | • 3 - 5 business days • 3 - 5 business days • Varies (contact) |
| BET Surface Area | • Single Point • Multiple Points • Pore Size Distribution (need multiple points) | • 3 - 5 business days • 3 - 5 business days • 3 - 5 business days |
| X-ray Diffraction (XRD) | • XRD Pattern Acquisition • Data Analysis (phase identification) • Data Analysis (crystallite size) • Crystal Density | • 1 - 2 business days • 2 - 3 business days • 1 - 2 business days • 1 - 2 business days |
| Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) | • One Heating Condition • Multiple Heating Conditions (different rate, soak, or temperature) | • 3 - 5 business days • Varies (contact) |
| Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) | • Glass Transition Temperature and Melting Point of Polymer • Enthalpy | • 2 - 3 business days • Varies (contact us) |
| Infrared Spectroscopy | • Transmission Range (Wavenumber: 500 - 4000 cm-1) • IR spectra functional group analysis | • 1 - 2 business days • 4 - 5 business days |
| Optical Microscopy | • Bright field (Mag.: 50x, 200x, 500x, & 1000x) • Additional images using light polarizer • Interference contrast image • Dark field images | • 2 - 3 business days • 2 - 3 business days • 2 - 3 business days • 2 - 3 business days |
| UV-Vis Spectroscopy (Range: 190 - 1100 nm) | • Water soluble solids | • 1 - 2 business days |
| Tap Density | • N/A | • 1 business day |
| Powder Density (Helium Pycnometer) | • N/A | • 1 - 2 business days |
Coatings Characterization
Coatings Characterization
We have an array of equipment to characterize coatings and free standing films. Our capabilities include characterization of mechanical properties (Taber, hardness), wetting behavior, optical transmission (UV to mid-IR), electrical conductivity, thickness, functional groups (using IR spectroscopy), and microstructure.
Analysis / Test | Options | Turn Around Time |
|---|---|---|
| Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) • Backscattered Electron Detector (BSD) • Secondary Electron Detector (SED) • Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) | • High-resolution imaging (200x - 100,000x) • View coating surface & cross-section • Elemental Analysis & Mapping (EDS) • Analysis and interpretation of SEM data | • 5 - 10 business days • Rush service available (extra fee) |
| Optical Microscopy | • Bright field (Mag.: 50x, 200x, 500x, & 1000x) • Additional images using light polarizer • Interference contrast image • Dark field images | • 2 - 3 business days |
| Infrared Spectroscopy | • IR spectra (ATR) • Transmission: Range (Wavenumber: 500 - 4000 cm-1) • IR spectra functional group analysis | • 2 - 5 business days |
| UV-Vis Spectroscopy (Range: 190 - 1100 nm) | • Coating provided on a UV-Vis transparent substrate • Liquid coating only | • 2 - 4 business days |
| Contact Angle (water or oil) | • Static angle • Advancing angle • Receding angle • Slide angle • Specialty liquids | • 2 - 3 business days |
| Sheet Resistance (Four Probe) | • Without sample preparation • With sample preparation | • 2 - 5 business days |
| Abrasion Testing (Taber Test) | • Weight loss • Weight loss + ΔHaze | • 2 - 5 business days |
| Coating Thickness | • Metal substrate • Polymer substrate (using optical microscope) | • 2 - 3 business days |
| Haze Testing | • Haze only • Integrated transmission | • 2 - 3 business days |
| Adhesion - Pull-off Dolly Test (Wet/Dry) | • N/A | • 3 - 4 business days |
| Adhesion - Tape Test (Wet/Dry) | • N/A | • 2 - 3 business days |
| Hardness Testing (Persoz or Koenig Hardness) | • N/A | • 2 - 3 business days |
| Scrap Adhesion and Mar Testing | • N/A | • 2 - 3 business days |
| Impact Testing (up to 18 N·m) | • N/A | • 2 - 3 business days |
| Accelerated Weathering Testing (Spray with Solar Eye Irradiance Control) | • N/A | • Varies (contact us) |
Dispersions Characterization
Dispersions Characterization
Extensive characterization services are available for both aqueous & non-aqueous dispersions of nanomaterials. NEI has the capability to assess dispersion stability in terms of pH, electrophoretic mobility, zeta potential & viscosity. Further quantitative analysis of dispersion quality is also available, including solids content, rheology, aggregate size, optical transmission, & transmitted haze.
Analysis / Test | Options | Turn Around Time |
|---|---|---|
| Viscosity (Brookfield Concentric Cylinder Viscometer) | • Room temperature • Each additional temperature (-5°C - 100°C) • Full Range (-5°C - 100°C, 10 points) | • 2 - 3 business days • 2 - 3 business days • 2 - 3 business days |
| Zeta Potential (in water) | • At neutral pH • Multiple points (pH range: 1-13, 13 points) • Isoelectric point • In solvent | • 2 - 3 business days • 2 - 3 business days • 2 - 3 business days • Varies (contact) |
| Infrared Spectroscopy | • IR Spectra (ATR) • Transmission Range (Wavenumber: 500 - 4000 cm-1) • Functional Group Analysis | • 1 - 2 business days • 1 - 2 business days • 4 - 5 business days |
| UV-Vis Spectroscopy (Range: 190 - 1100 nm) | • N/A | • 1 - 2 business days |
| Cu2+ Ion Concentration | • N/A | • 1 - 2 business days |
| pH Measurement | • N/A | • 1 - 2 business days |
| Tap Density | • N/A | • 1 - 2 business days |
| Water Solution Electrical Conductivity | • N/A | • 1 - 2 business days |
Battery Testing
Battery Cell Fabrication & Testing Services
NEI’s battery cell preparation and characterization includes industry standard electrode casting, coin & pouch cell fabrication, and cell-level electrochemical testing. Cast electrodes can be customized to the customer’s requirements, such as tape composition (amount of active material, binder, and conductive carbon), electrode thickness, porosity, calendaring conditions, and choice of current collector.
Service / Test | Options | Turn Around Time |
|---|---|---|
| Electrode Fabrication | • Active material loading (80 – 95%) • Binder type (aqueous / non-aqueous) and content • Electrode coating thickness • Tape porosity or density • Choice of current collector | • 2 to 10 business days |
| Cell Fabrication | • 2032 Coin Cells – choice of anode chemistry, Li, Li-ion, Silicon, Oxide • Pouch Cells – up to 4 Ah with standard and custom cell components • Choice of customer's materials or standard commercial materials • Modify electrolyte composition | • 7 to 10 business days |
| Half Cell Testing | • Capacity (under constant current) at room temperature • Capacity (under different currents) at room temperature • Capacity (under constant current) at different temperatures (-20°C - 100°C) • Capacity (under different currents) at different temperatures (-20°C - 100°C) • Cycle life | • 7 to 10 business days (may vary depending on testing conditions and services required) |
| Full Cell Testing | • Capacity (under constant current) at room temperature • Capacity (under different currents) at room temperature • Capacity (under constant current) at different temperatures (-20°C - 100°C) • Capacity (under different currents) at different temperatures (-20°C - 100°C) • Cycle life | • 12 to 15 business days (may vary depending on testing conditions and services required) |
| Ionic Conductivity | • Single point (room temperature) • Multiple points (-20°C - 100°C) | • 2 to 5 business days |
Corrosion Testing
Corrosion Testing
We have an array of equipment to test metal corrosion in different environments. Our facilities include dedicated systems such as a salt-spray testing chamber, a humidity cabinet, an immersion test chamber, and an electrochemical corrosion test work station (Princeton Applied Research VersaSTAT 3 potentiostat / galvanostat with a standard three electrode electrochemical cell).
Analysis / Test | Options | Turn Around Time |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Spray Testing (ASTM B117) | • Basic (Testing only) • Advanced (Testing + Analysis) | • Specified by the client or as decided • Specified by the client or as decided |
| Immersion Corrosion Testing (ASTM G31) | • Basic (Testing only) • Advanced (Testing + Analysis) | • Specified by the client or as decided • Specified by the client or as decided |
| Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) | • Basic (Testing only) • Advanced (Testing + Analysis) | • 1 - 2 business days • 1 - 2 business days |
| Potentiodynamic Polarization | • Basic (Testing only) • Advanced (Testing + Analysis) | • 1 - 2 business days • 1 - 2 business days |
| Paint / Coating Evaluation | • Corrosion Performance (ASTM D1654) • Paint Blistering (ASTM D714) • Filiform Corrosion Resistance (ASTM D2803) | • 1 - 2 business days • 1 - 2 business days • 1 - 2 business days |
| Cathodic Disbondment (ASTM G8) | • N/A | • Specified by the client or as decided |
| Linear Polarization Resistance (LPR) | • N/A | • 1 - 2 business days |
Electrospinning
Electrospinning Services
NEI Corporation offers electrospun mats, as well as electrospinning services for producing nanoscale and microscale fibers. We use our knowledge and expertise to help transition your concepts into working prototypes. Electrospinning is a technique to form fibers by the use of a voltage potential between a solution of the material and a grounded collector. The process elongates the fiber as it is formed, yielding fiber diameters typically in the range of 50 to 500 nm. The electrospinning equipment at NEI allows for large areas of fiber mats, upwards of one square foot. Combined with a variety of characterization and testing equipment already available in-house, this can accelerate development of the customer’s technology into commercial materials.
Electrospun Mats NEI offers:
- Electrospun PAN is an ultrafine mat of polyacrylonitrile
- Electrospun PVA is an ultrafine mat of polyvinyl alcohol
- Electrospun PVDF-HFP is an ultrafine mat of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)
Additional Services
NEI can also assist the customer in identifying the special attributes of electrospun fibers and how to benefit from them. NEI has worked with other companies to elevate the technology readiness levels of new technologies and can provide direction in advancing fiber production as per the needs of the application. Characterization and tests can be carried out under applicable industry standards, such as American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).