State College, PA, October 31, 2008 - The United States Air Force has awarded Strategic Polymer Sciences, Inc. (SPS) a $100,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 Program grant to develop long-life power capacitors.

SPS received the SBIR grant to develop compact, sub microsecond discharge pulsed power capacitors with a long lifetime of more than one million cycles (AF083-007). The new film capacitors will be fabricated using SPS high energy density dielectric films, combining with state-of-the-art metallization technology and robust capacitor design.

These advanced capacitors can have numerous military applications: directed energy systems, high power microwave generators, power modulators, particle accelerators, and advanced radar systems. The capacitors are also critical to many commercial devices such as medical x-ray equipment, defibrillators, utility distribution substations, machining equipment, and hybrid electric and plug-in electric vehicles.

Strategic Polymer Science is an early-stage startup company that develops new materials and device technologies that are in the process of revolutionizing energy storage, energy generation, and medical therapeutics. Its applications range from lowering the cost and increasing the efficiency of hybrid electric vehicle engines and implantable cardiac defibrillators to the creation of lower cost, more efficient, and more effective steerable medical catheters for cardiac and other applications.

Earlier this year, SPS closed a Series A funding round of $3 million. The company was also recently awarded a $200,000 commercialization grant from the Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center for the development of nanostructured compact capacitors for implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD).

About SBIR

The SBIR program was created by the U.S. Congress to stimulate technological innovation, utilize small business to meet federal research and development needs, and increase private sector commercialization. SBIR funds research and development projects in order to stimulate technological innovation; increase small business participation in federal research and development; and increase private sector commercialization of technology derived from federal research and development.

Each year, the program funds Phase I feasibility projects for approximately six months. After completion of the Phase I stage, most of these businesses can compete for Phase II awards. Phase II awards can last up to 24 months.