ADVANCED COMPOSITE MATERIALS FOR LIGHTWEIGHT ROTOCRAFT/AIR-VEHICLE SYSTEM COMPONENTS

CHRONIC NEEDS FOR HIGHER PERFORMANCE IN PRESENT AND FUTURE ARMY ROTOCRAFT/AIR-VEHICLE SYSTEMS MANDATE IMPROVEMENTS IN MATERIALS PROPERTIES. LIGHTWEIGHT METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES (MMC) INCLUDING MAGNESIUM AND ALUMINUM ARE AMONG THE BEST CANDIDATES TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ENABLE LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURES, ADVANCED PROPULSION, TRANSMISSIONS, ROTORS, THRUST DEVICES, ETC. A UNIQUE COATINGS APPROACH FOR SPREAD GRAPHITE FIBERS PERMITS THE APPLICATION OF AN ADHERENT ENGINEERED INTERFACE AS WELL AS APPLICATION OF THE MATRIX AS A COATING THAT PERMITS VERY HIGH VOLUME REINFORCEMENT FRACTION COMPOSITES WITH SPECIFIC STRENGTHS AND MODULUS TWO TO FOUR TIMES PREVIOUSLY ATTAINED. THESE ADVANCED COMPOSITES WILL BE DEMONSTRATED AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IDENTIFIED IN BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE ARMY ROTOCRAFT/AIR-VEHICLE SYSTEMS.