METAL-METAL MICROFILAMENTARY COMPOSITES FOR HIGH CURRENT ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR APPLICATIONS

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPACEBORNE WEAPONS SYSTEMS FOR THE STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE ORGANIZATION (SDIO) HAS CREATED THE NEED FOR MATERIALS CAPABLE OF HANDLING SUBSTANTIAL ELECTRIC POWER LOAD. IN THIS PROPOSAL, WE SUGGEST THE DEVELOPMENT OF METAL-METAL MICROFILAMENTARY COMPOSITES AS HIGH CURRENT CONDUCTORS FOR SPACEBORNE APPLICATIONS. METAL-METAL MICROFILAMENTARY COMPOSITES ARE A NOVEL CLASS OF MATERIALSTHAT DERIVE THEIR STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS FROM THE DETAILS OF THEIR UNIQUE MICROSTRUCTURAL STATE. ENHANCEMENTS IN THE TENSILE STRENGTH AND ELASTIC MODULUS OF 300% AND 100%, RESPECTIVELY, ABOVE RULE OF MIXTURES HAVE ALREADY BEEN ACHIEVED IN CU-NB MICROFILAMENTARY COMPOSITES. IN ADDITION, THESE COMPOSITES ARE EXCELLENT ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS. THE SUPERIOR MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MICROFILAMENTARY COMPOSITES WILL REDUCE FLEXURE AND VIBRATION OF THE CONDUCTORS DURING HIGH OR PULSED CURRENT OPERATION, THEREBY MINIMIZING VIBRATIONAL INPUT TO SPACE PLATFORMS. IN THE PHASE I PROGRAM, WE PROPOSE TO DEMONSTRATE THE FABRICATION OF CU-NB AND CU-AL MICROFILAMENTARY COMPOSITES AND TO CHARACTERIZE THEIR MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES.