Assembly of Ceramics/Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Components

MRi is proposing to investigate exothermic braze technology that will provide cost effective methods to join and attach ceramic composites to nickel base alloys and to themselves for fabricating CMC aircraft engine components. The initial application of this technology will be aimed at jet engine components for reliable, affordable high thrust to weight ratio jet engines that have been investigated under the VAATE programs. The engines developed under this program have been targeted to power the US Army’s Joint Heavy Lift Transport. The proposed program is a technology demonstration effort aimed at developing joining technologies that utilize exothermic materials that upon ignition, react and generate over 3,000ºC locally, enough to fuse and react adjoining CMC or CMC:metal surfaces. MRi has teamed with Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) for their connection to the CMC joining work at NASA-Glenn Research Center and their capability to contribute to the proposed exothermic brazing technology. MRi is also teaming with Exotherm Corporation for their expertise in designing and manufacturing exothermic Phase I investigations would focus on design, analyzing and developing high energy density, refractory nano-phase braze mixtures and braze processes for joining melt infiltrated SiC:SiC to superalloys and also to SiC:SiC. Various exothermic material systems will be investigated and demonstrated on small scale flat SiC:SiC and superalloy coupons followed by metallographic evaluations and mechanical tests.