Monolithic Titanium Nitride for KKV Rocket Nozzle Throats

The quest for lower cost components and higher performance propulsion systems in Kinetic Kill Vehicles motivates the investigation of low cost, highly oxidation/erosion resistant materials for nozzle throats and other hot gas path applications.Exothermics has recently conducted tests of HfN components with encouraging results. These results indicate that oxide melting point may not be a critical factor in throat material performance. Building upon these successful developments, Exothermicsproposes to investigate a similar manufacturing route to a lower cost, lower density material: monolithic Titanium Nitride. TiN, with a melting point of 2950 ¿C and density of 5.4g/cm3, offers the possibility of a 60% reduction in mass and a greater than10x reduction in raw materials cost (volume basis).This manufacturing technology, if successfully developed, would lead to lower cost components for rocket propulsion systems as well as higher performance and lower system inert mass. This materialstechnology will also be commercially useful for the manufacture of molten metal handling components including melting crucibles, pump components and immersion tubes.