A UNIQUE ALUMINUM BRONZE MATRIX COMPOSITE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED THAT OFFERS ATTRACTIVE PROPERTIES FOR ELEVATED-TEMPERATURE USE.

A UNIQUE ALUMINUM BRONZE MATRIX COMPOSITE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED THAT OFFERS ATTRACTIVE PROPERTIES FOR ELEVATED-TEMPERATURE USE. THIS PHASE I PROGRAM WILL FABRICATE EXTRUDED ALUMINUM-BRONZE MATRIX COMPOSITES AND DEMONSTRATE THE USEFULNESS OF THESE MATERIALS AT TEMPERATURES UP TO 1500 DEGREES F FOR POWER AND PROPULSION SYSTEMS. DISCONTINUOUS REINFORCEMENTS FOR ALUMINUM BRONZE ARE TIC AND FUSED A12O3 PARTICULATES AND CHOPPED SAFFIL FIBERS. THESE COMPOSITES OFFER DENSITIES APPROACHING TITANIUM ALLOYS, LOW COST, STIFFNESS EXCEEDING STEEL, AND OUTSTANDING OXIDATION RESISTANCE. THESE MATERIALS HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR REPLACING TITANIUM AND STEEL ALLOYS FOR MANY APPLICATIONS. EVALUATION OF THESE COMPOSITES WILL FOCUS ON MECHANICAL-PROPERTY TESTING AT ROOM AND ELEVATED TEMPERATURES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROSTRUCTURE, ALL OF WHICH WILL BE SUMMARIZED IN A FINAL REPORT WITH RECOMMENDED TASKS FOR A PHASE II PROGRAM.