Ultrahigh Temperature Materials for Missile Defense Propulsion and Aerothermal Applications

This proposal addresses the requirement to significantly improve the affordability, maintainability and performance of KKV DACS components. Exothermics and their Phase 1 partner Southern Research Institute will endeavor to increase the performance, lower the cost and enhance the technical property characteristics of SDACS and hypersonic components by examining the use of a new class of ultrahigh temperature capable materials based on the concept of hafnium alloy coating of C/SiC substrates. The coatings will be applied to the substrates by directed magnetron sputter deposition methods, and, once optimized, these methods and materials will offer outstanding possibilities for fabricating SDACS components such as hot gas valves and hypersonic nosetips having superior technical properties at much reduced cost relative to rhenium, the present material of choice for SDACS hardware. Phase 1 development efforts will focus on producing limited numbers of test articles for simulated SDACS propellant testing at ATK-Elkton in Elkton, MD, and for thermomechanical properties characterization at Southern Research Institute (SoRI) in Birgmingham, AL.