Solid Rocket Motor Nozzles Made From Tantalum Carbide Continuous Fiber Composites for Boost Applications

This Air Force Phase II SBIR program seeks to further develop the first tantalum carbide (TaC) structural ceramic fiber for TaC(f)/TaC(m) CMCs for use in aluminized propellant solid rocket motor (SRM) applications. TaC has been identified as the best performing ceramic composition for aluminized propellant SRM applications. MATECH/GSM proposes to scale-up TaC structural ceramic fiber to a level suitable for low rate initial production (LRIP) of 500 filament TaC ceramic fiber tow during the Phase II program. The 500 filament TaC ceramic fiber tow will be tested per the comprehensive fiber test matrix outlined in the statement of work. This TaC ceramic fiber property database will enable direct comparison with existing commercially available high temperature “state-of-the-art” ceramic fibers. This database will be critical in designing and modeling the performance of TaC(f)/TaC(m) CMC rocket nozzles. MATECH/GSM proposes to fabricate 4D TaC fiber preforms using pultrusion processing of 500 filament ceramic fiber tow and fabricate TaC(f)/TaC(m) CMC composite test panels for mechanical and thermal property measurements. MATECH/GSM will fabricate and test fire “zero erosion” TaC(f)/TaC(m) CMC thrusters. Hot fire motor tests under aluminized propellant conditions will be conducted at Aerojet’s Sacramento test facility.