A Process to Make Propulsion Grade Functional Polybutadiene

In 1997, MACH I, Inc. was awarded a Phase I SBIR contract F42650-97-C-0400"A Process to Manufacture Carboxyl Terminated Polybutadiene (CTPB)."MACH I successfully completed this research and demonstrated its ability to produce CTPB meeting propellant specifications. A Phase II SBIR proposal to optimize the results obtained in Phase I and prepare pilot scale samples for Minuteman binder qualification was requested. The Phase II proposal was submitted, but not awarded. A Phase II SBIR contract is proposed to both complete the research necessary to produce pilot scale quantities of CTPB for characterizations and also use similar methodology to produce pilot scale quantities of a new and improved version of HTPB resin as well as one comparable to the standard commercial product. The objective will be to make, characterize, and performance evaluate samples of both HTPB and CTPB. At the end of Phase II, MACH I, Inc. will be a second source supplier of both HTPB and CTPB in a 5,000 lb/yr pilot plant. The synthetic routes and pilot scale processes developed will establish second source availability and mitigate the risk of single source dependence, as well as providing a new improved HTPB resin for consideration by the propellant community.