Federal agency name: defense advanced research projects agency (DARPA), defense sciences office (DSO) funding opportunity title: young faculty award (YFA) funding opportunity number:…

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Sciences Office awarded a Cooperative Agreement valued at $250,000 to Arizona State University on September 30, 2025 under the Young Faculty Award program (CFDA 12.910, Research and Technology Development).

The award funds research into flowable spherical micron-sized nanoporous metal foam powders (SM-NMF) designed to form and strengthen metallic lightweight structural components from copper and aluminum. Current nanoporous metal foam production methods face processing barriers including poor dry flowability and densification challenges that prevent their integration into powder metallurgy schemes at high solid loading. The research investigates new approaches to overcome agglomeration and interlocking in irregular powder geometries, targeting applications in high-performance solid rocket motors and structural energetic components.

Performance occurs in Arizona and runs through September 29, 2027. The assistance type is a Cooperative Agreement. The Assistance Listing program supports basic, applied, and advanced research at educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and commercial firms with potential military or dual-use application, with award decisions based on competitive scientific review using criteria including overall scientific and technical merit, potential contribution to DARPA mission, offeror capabilities and experience, technology transition plans, and cost realism.

Federal agency name: defense advanced research projects agency (DARPA), defense sciences office (DSO) funding opportunity title: young faculty award (YFA) funding opportunity number: DARPARA2501CATALOG of federal domestic assistance (cfda) number(s): 12.910 research and technology developmentprogram description: DARPA is soliciting innovative research proposals in the areas of interest to the following DARPA technical offices: defense sciences office (DSO), information innovation office (I2O), microsystems technology office (MTO), and the tactical technology office (TTO). Further detail regarding the specific technical areas of interest can be found below under open office topics. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.nanoporous metal foams (NMF) offer high surface area and reactivity which are promisingformulations for high-performance solid rocket motors and explosives. Its processability anddeployment into structural energetic components are hindered due to their lack of flowabilityduring processing and reinforcement mechanisms. A new class of flowable spherical micronsizednmf powders (SM-NMF) is proposed to form and strengthen metallic light-weightstructural components out of copper and aluminum. Nmfs possess high surface area due to itssub-10 NM sizes and the intrinsic reactivity of the metal similar to that of nanoparticles (e.g.,nano-aluminum). However, in powdered form, they are not easy to integrate into processingschemes for powder metallurgy because, at high solid loading, they agglomerate and interlockdue to its irregular powder geometries and small sizes which hinders its dry flowability anddensification during processing. State-of-the-art production methods for nmfs include (i)combustion pyrolysis of metallic alloys, (II) nanosmelting, (III) nanotemplated metals, (IV)nanoparticle-based SOL-GEL approaches, (v) dealloying of powdered precursor alloys and others.however, these methods fail to deliver morphology control such as powder size, spheroidicityand dispersion, and, thus, yield a flowable feedstock at scale.