Polymer Bonded Rolling Diaphragms (BRD)

In this Phase I effort, CRG will conduct a survey on several classes of elastomeric materials to identify promising candidates for use in composite tanks for gelled propellants. The promising elastomeric materials will be evaluated and screened withrespect to their thermal and mechanical properties and their chemical resistance to the gelled propellants, Inhibited Red Fuming Nitric Acid (IRFNA) and MonoMethyl Hydrazine (MMH). We will also develop the processing techniques to bond the selectedelastomeric liners onto fiber-reinforced organic matrix composites and characterize the effectiveness of the adhesion bonding. In addition, we will address scale-up design issues and concerns for the liner manufacturing process in Phase I. The materialsand process technology proposed have a very limited commercial market. There are very few extreme compatibility requirements that are not being met by Teflon and Viton materials in the commercial market. Teflon and Viton have established a very strongcommercial market share and achieved reduce costs due to mass production. The key marketable feature of the technology to be developed is the processing capability. Success will be a manufacturing line able to produce large, single-component, engineeredparts with extreme chemical resistance to specification rather than sheet stock.