THIS PROJECT WILL SEEK TO DEVELOP NEW METHODOLOGY FOR THE PREPARATION OF CARBON/CARBON (C/C) COMPOSITES.

THIS PROJECT WILL SEEK TO DEVELOP NEW METHODOLOGY FOR THE PREPARATION OF CARBON/CARBON (C/C) COMPOSITES. THESE COMPOSITES CAN WITHSTAND USE TEMPERATURES OF 700 DEG F OR HIGHER; IN BRAKING APPLICATIONS TEMPERATURES CAN REACH 1000 DEG F OR MORE WITHOUT FAILURE. CURRENT TECHNIQUES REQUIRE TREATNG CARBON FIBERS WITH GASEOUS HYDROCARBONS AT HIGH PRESSURES AND ELEVATED TEMPERATURES. THE OBJECTIVE METHOD WILL EMPLOY POLYMERIC MATERIALS WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO PERMIT LOW PRESSURE CONDITIONS FOR CURING, AND WILL MINIMIZE THE EVOLUTION OF DELETERIOUS VOLATILES. TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE APPROACH PHASE I WILL FOCUS ON SYNTHESIS, INCLUDING STUDIES OF A RANGE OF STARTING MATERIALS AND TREATMENT CONDITIONS. PRODUCTS WILL BE SUBJECTED TO FULL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND SOME OF THEIR PHYSICOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES WILL BE MEASURED.