Low cost Rejuvenation of Thermal Fatigue in Metal Matrix Composite Materials

The demands for greater operating efficiencies in turbine engine has prompted the search for high strength materials for critical rotating components. As a result, the Aerospace industry has invested considerable effort on the development of light weight, Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) materials as an alternative to nickel base super alloys and directionally solidified materials. In spite of numerous government and industry programs to cost reduce MMC materials, they remain expensive... driven by the high cost of raw materials and labor intensive manufacturing and inspection processing. Extending the useful life cycle of MMC materials would allow its high initial acquisition cost to be spread out over a much longer life cycle and make MMC materials more cost competitive. The specific objective of Grey Fox Technologies; Phase I effort is to explore the feasibility of developing a simple, low cost method to restore the fatigue strength in titanium MMC composite materials. The overall program objectives are to develop, demonstrate, and commercialize methods that will allow the "safe reuse" of MMC components in the Aerospace Industry. Grey Fox Technologies' proposed rejuvenation cycle offers a low cost method for repairing MMC materials. IF the method is successful, all aspects of the repair procedure can be performed in typical aircraft engine service facilities and commercial heat treating and plating shops, providing a broad, competitive supplier base to the aerospace industry. Grey Fox Technologies' will evaluate the effectiveness of its unique rejuvenation process during the proposed Phase I.