Improved Electrical Contact Materials for Extremely High Current Sliding Contact Materials

QuesTek proposes to apply its Materials by Design® technology to the design and development of a new material for Navy railgun armature applications. Microstructural concepts for new alloy designs will focus on improved strength, on improved conductivity (electrical and thermal), increased heat capacity, and on reduced reactivity (specifically, interactions between the armature and rail materials). In all cases, it is not simply the ambient properties that are important, but also their dependence on temperature—the railgun environment is a dynamic one where temperatures rise rapidly, and where local melting of the armature at the rail/armature interface is ubiquitous. An important aspect of QuesTek’s alloy design will be the mitigation of so-called “liquation cracking” in current armature materials. In the SBIR program, we will work closely with our OEM partner (General Atomics) to carefully define the critical property and performance criteria for advanced armatures. Prototype alloy designs will be produced and tested at laboratory scale in Phase I. In Phase II, final alloy designs could be produced at intermediate scale, and actual armatures could be fabricated and tested in conjunction with our OEM partner.