Advanced Missile Materials and Process Technologies

This proposed Phase I SBIR program will develop and demonstrate a high temperature polymer matrix composite materials system exhibiting high thermal conductivity, high glass transition temperature, low mass density, and excellent mechanical performance suitable for fabrication of missile components using existing composite manufacturing infrastructure and techniques. This unique combination of material properties and processing will be achieved by merging and optimizing P2SI 900HT high temperature polymer matrix (Tg = 840°F) and ultra-high thermal conductivity pitch fiber in the form of a discontinuous fiber (chopped) molding compound. During the Phase I, composite plates will be fabricated to evaluate the effects of a number of material variables on thermal and mechanical performance. A Phase II effort would provide an opportunity to optimize the system for scale-up and further characterization ensuring that appropriate, reliable thermal and mechanical properties are generated and incorporated into user thermal and thermo-structural models. Partnering with Raytheon Missile Systems, an end user of this technology, applicable prototype structures will be manufactured and tested using the optimized materials system from Phase I. Additionally, Six Sigma methodology will be used to perform statistical analysis of the chopped molding compound manufacturing process, and appropriate changes will be implemented to reduce process variation.