Rapid Prototyping of Continuous-Fiber-Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composites

Advanced Ceramics Research, Inc.

Tucson, AZ

An innovative, low-cost, rapid-prototyping technology has been used to produce a novel composite material that will enable the fabrication of a new generation of low-cost propulsion components for NASA and DOD applications

• A new, flexible, rapid, low-cost process has been developed for fabricating ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Fabrication costs are reduced by more than an order of magnitude, and fabrication time reduced by approximately a factor of six for a square, thin plate of material.
• The continuous composite co-extrusion (C3) process has been demonstrated with first-generation carbon-fiber-reinforced zirconium carbide matrix composites (C/ZrC) .
• Rapid and economical, C3 offers drastic improvements over current state-of-the-art processes (e.g., chemical vapor infiltration and polymer impregnation and pyrolysis) used to fabricate ceramic matrix composites.
• Reusable C/ZrC has the potential to withstand erosive environments at temperatures in excess of 2500?F.
• Program objectives include: development of the fiber interface coating; material properties generation; production and evaluation of prototype parts; production of full-scale components to be delivered at the end of the program.

• Patent filed January 2001: MFS-31597-1
• Teaming with several strong commercial partners for application of this technology to the aerospace and energy industries.
• Will provide components for testing to commercial customers concurrently with the fabrication of NASA’s sub-scale and full-scale parts
• Develop other material compositions and components with the highly flexible C3 process.

• SBIR 2000 Phase II awarded for development of Polar lay-up C/SiC blisk using the C3 process (NAS8-01016).
• CMCs fabricated with the C3 process include: integrated ceramic injector and CMC thrusters, bladed disks, ducts, cryogenic tanks, nozzles, thermal protection hot structure, and steering and thrust control vanes.
• C/ZrC has the potential to enable reusable radiation-cooled thrust chambers.

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Curator: SBIR/STTR Support