Innovative Manufacturing of Hafnium Carbide Insulation Materials

Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG) proposes to integrate MATECH's Hafnium Carbide (HfC) insulation system into CRG's innovative rotomolding manufacturing process in order to fabricate solid rocket motors with increased performance and improved manufacturability. CRG developed an innovative manufacturing process involving rotational molding, rotomolding, in a research program funded by the MDA for solid rocket motors. The benefit of this rotomolding technology is the ability to eliminate the mandrel from the manufacturing process of solid rocket motors by fabricating a mandrel in the rotomold that is structural enough for filament winding and can be used as an insulation material. MATECH Global Strategic Materials developed and demonstrated an innovative approach to high temperature zero erosion ablative combustion liner composite systems that exhibit zero erosion at 2400 C (4,352 F) and above in a research effort funded by the MDA. CRG is partnering with MATECH and plans to incorporate the HfC insulation system in the rotomolding system. The integration of the HfC material into CRG's rotomolding process offers the MDA an improved manufacturing process for a higher performing insulation material for solid rocket motors.