FIBER-REINFORCED SUPERALLOY MATRIX COMPOSITE MATERIALS ARE EMERGING AS HIGH PERFORMANCE STRUCTURAL MATERIALS FOR APPLICATIONS IN ADVANCED GAS TURBINE ENGINES AND OTHER ADVANCED ENGINEERING SYSTEMS.

FIBER-REINFORCED SUPERALLOY MATRIX COMPOSITE MATERIALS ARE EMERGING AS HIGH PERFORMANCE STRUCTURAL MATERIALS FOR APPLICATIONS IN ADVANCED GAS TURBINE ENGINES AND OTHER ADVANCED ENGINEERING SYSTEMS. ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING MATERIALS BEING CONSIDERED FOR OPERATION AT HIGH TEMPERATURES IS A COMPOSITE OF A NICKEL- OR IRON-BASED SUPERALLOY REINFORCED WITH REFRACTORY METAL FIBERS. THE ATTRACTIVE HIGH STRENGTH POTENTIAL OF REFRACTORY FIBER COMPOSITES IS LARGELY BASED ON THE PROPERTIES OF THE FIBER. AS SUCH THERE IS A NEED FOR METALLIC FIBERS WITH IMPROVED HIGH TEMPERATURE STRENGTH. THE PROPOSED PHASE I RESEARCH WILL EXPLORE A NEW PROCESS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF RAPID SOLIDIFICATION TO FABRICATE REFRACTORY METAL ALLOYS AS FIBERS DIRECTLY CAST FROM MELT. DEVELOPMENT OF NEW REFRACTORY METAL-BASE ALLOY COMPOSITIONS PROCESSABLE AS FIBERS POSSESSING SUPERIOR HIGH TEMPERATURE STRENGTH WILL ALSO BE PURSUED IN PHASE I.