Advanced Ferroelectric Materials for Explosive Pulsed Power for Missiles and Munitions

In this program TRS will explore a variety of new ferroelectric materials and composites for explosively driven pulsed power applications. The Phase I program will be aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of improving the ferroelectric generator (FEG) performance by: (a) systematically exploring new materials to enhance the remanent polarization in ferroelectric (FE) to antiferroelectric (AFE) phase-change compositions; (b) developing single-crystal PZT 95/5 components to exploit the intrinsic anisotropy that is present in single-crystal materials; and (c) exploring the use of composite structures to engineer higher electric breakdown fields and to achieve interesting geometric combinations of electrical properties. Electrical properties of the sample will be evaluated at TRS and samples will be delivered to HEM Technologies for explosively driven shock depolarization testing. During the Phase I and II program TRS will immediately incorporate new advances in FEG technology into our commercially available PZT 95/5 products. At the conclusion of the Phase II program TRS will have established pilot manufacturing capabilities for a number of high energy density pulse-discharge components directly applicable to directed energy and detonation systems currently under development.