Hypersonic Alumina Infrared Domes

Infrared missile domes are a demanding application for materials due to severe aero-thermal heating, requiring excellent thermal shock and abrasion/erosion resistance while maintaining a high transmittance. Currently, only single-crystal alumina (sapphire) meets these demanding criteria, though at a high cost due to the processing involved in producing sapphire domes. CeraNova’s nanocrystalline alumina offers performance equal to or better than sapphire, utilizing low-cost near net shape manufacturing of hemispherical domes. Nanocrystalline alumina hemispherical domes will be produced in this program for missile dome applications. CeraNova’s technology could allow the first economic aerodynamic-shaped missile domes that enables next-generation heat-seeking missiles to travel at rates that far exceed current hypersonic speeds.