Composite Materials for Cryogenic Storage Tanks and Superconductivity Applications

"Composite cryogenic storage tanks will enable ABL and SBL program objectives by reducing structural weight, increasing reactant mass, reducing systems costs, and reducing risk to the programs. A recent development in composite materials design formultifunctional damage mitigation is proposed as a solution to the microcracking problem for composite tanks for storage of cryogens. By incorporating secondary functional phases in the polymeric matrix of a structural composite, microcracks can beeffectively sealed automatically whenever they occur. Reactant materials flow into the cracks and are solidified in place, sealing the cracks and allowing the material to recover structural function. A multifunctional composite cryogenic tank based onthis technology would prevent leakage by sealing microcracks throughout the lifetime of the tank and enable the use of composites in this critical application with low risk to mission success. This technology is critical to not only ABL and SBL missionobjectives, but is fundamental to all superconductivity devices in which cryogens are used to maintain operational temperatures at design specifications. Multifunctional composite materials will be developed for applications in composite cryogenic storagetanks utilizing the filament winding processing technique. Successful development of the material system and processing methodology will enable the use of lightweight composite materials in a wide range of technological applications whenever there is acritical need for cryocoolers and stored cryogens."