Manufacturing Improvements of Zr-Based DACS Components

KiON Defense Technologies, Inc. (KDT) proposes a new route to the fabrication of Ultrahigh Temperature Ceramic parts based on preceramic polymer technology. The new fabrication method is based on the synthesis of new, single component ceramic precursor resins to ZrC-SiC ceramics that comprise significant mole fractions of Zr. The resins will be based on the modification of KDT’s liquid ammonia-derived poly(silazanes) with Zr. A new “warm pressing” technique will be used to generate shapes that are pressureless sintered. KDT’s approach promises to deliver a simple, flexible, and new manufacturing capability to supply parts for Ultrahigh Temperature applications such as DACS.