Rayon Replacement for High Temperature Materials

General Sciences, Inc. (GSI) is proposing the study and evaluation of available non-rayon carbon fibers produced in the USA in combination with new resins to produce high temperature composites for the aerospace industry. GSI has studied and evaluated a new resin, Self-Reinforcing Polyphenylene (SRP), which is superior to the baseline phenolic, currently used for ablative and non-ablative applications. This self reinforcing resin in composites with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) carbon cloth reduces both the ablation rate and the thermal conductivity by a factor of two compared with carbon phenolic material. This resin will be used in producing and evaluating composites with available non-rayon fibers such as the carbonized Lyocell from Southern Research Institute (SRI), product of the Lenzing Fiber Company. Measurements will include density, tensile strength, tensile modulus (which is a measurement of stiffness), thermal conductivity and ablation rate under relevant heat flux conditions. Approved for Public Release | 17-MDA-9219 (31 May 17)