Near Net Shape and Cost Effective Rapid Powder Consolidation Manufacturing of Advanced Microwave Tube Materials/Components

The major objectives of the Phase I effort will be focused on CDC higher pressure combustion (using natural gas or hydrogen-GREEN MANUFACTURING) driven powder compaction fabrication of select alloys for Microwave Tube Related Component end uses for NAVY using powders of varying sizes and vacuum-grade purity such as Cupro-Nickel, Stainless Steels (e.g., 316 LN, Custom 465 high strength version), Monel 404 and select Molybdenum Based Alloys (e.g., Molybdenum, Mo-W, Mo-Hf-HfC, Mo-with Lanthanum Oxide; Mo-Re) and Other Competitive Alloys of stainless steel equivalents with reduced Ni content for feasibility. Select geometrical shapes of mechanical test coupons, small scale cylinders (0.66 inch/1.35 inch dia cylinders) and other geometries (including hollow-cylindrical geometry of 1.8 inch OD; 1.65 inch ID and 1 inch height using the most promising molybdenum based materials) will be fabricated using CDC method as a proof of concept. UTRON Kinetics"s uniquely controllable higher pressure compaction up to 150 tsi in rapid compaction times (milliseconds) and then process them for property evaluation. 300/400 Ton CDC compaction press is planned for use in the proposed work. Proposed research is planned to use the current tooling for mechanical test coupons, small scale cylinders, and modified tooling for the representative hollow cylinder geometry for NAVY"s MWT (in consultation with CPII) at UTRON Kinetics in Phase I and Option. Proposed tasks include suitable CDC compaction parameters, powder chemistry/morphologies, thermal post-processing, physical/geometrical properties of green and sintered parts under select thermal processing (e.g., vacuum, argon environment etc) conditions, mechanical strength/ductility properties at room temperature, microstructures, microchemistry, thermal and electrical conductivity, high vacuum leak resistance testing, and thermal cyclic stress behavior as required for microwave tube product end uses. We have both Georgia Tech and CPII as subcontract collaborators. Phase I option will be used also for further evaluation of the most promising samples in consultation with NAVY sponsors. More advanced material compositions, complex part fabrication, and scaling up for cost effective manufacturing will be evaluated in Phase II and beyond. Proposed work has several potential end users from the Industries as well as from the DOD.