Combination structural support and thermal protection system

A dielectric material comprising:

• a network of nanosubstrates having a predetermined longitudinal alignment with respect to an incident electrical field, wherein the nanosubstrates have an aspect ratio greater than approximately 10:1 and wherein the nanosubstrates are configured as at least one of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and multiple-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT);
• nanoparticles of an elemental metal deposited onto the network of nanosubstrates;
• and
• a polymer matrix intermixed with each of the network of nanosubstrates and the nanoparticles to thereby form the dielectric material;
• wherein the predetermined longitudinal alignment is one of:
• a substantially horizontal alignment and a substantially vertical alignment.

A method of forming a dielectric material comprising:

• depositing a predetermined quantity of metallic nanoparticles onto a predetermined quantity of nanosubstrates such that a majority of the metallic nanoparticles are placed in direct contact with the nanosubstrates;
• combining the nanosubstrates and the metallic nanoparticles with a polymer matrix after the metallic nanoparticles have been deposited onto the nanosubstrates;
• and
• aligning the polymer matrix, the nanosubstrates, and the metallic nanoparticles in one of a generally horizontal orientation and a generally vertical orientation with respect to the orientation of a predetermined incident electric field to thereby form the dielectric material.