Integrated Simulation-Based Design Environment

Barrel erosion, which is produced by the combination of high temperature and pressure with aggressive propellant combustion products, and the action of the projectile, results in decreased muzzle velocities, increased projectile yaw, and decreasedaccuracy. New material designs are needed to mitigate erosion in gun barrels, which limits service lifeCeramic composites are a leading material candidate for gun barrels because of their thermochemical stability, erosion resistance and low density. Ceramic composites can prolong service life and provide other enhancements to gun barrels. New designs andmanufacturing methods are needed to integrate ceramic composite barrels with current infantry weapons, such as the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.Thor Technologies, Inc. will team with Los Alamos National Laboratory, Materials Research & Design, and FN Manufacturing, Inc. (FNMI) to develop a novel hybrid ceramic composite design and an innovative, low-cost manufacturing method. Polymerinfiltration/microwave pyrolysis processing enables manufacture of ceramic composites with integral metallic attachments. In Phase I, a prototype hybrid ceramic barrel will be produced and used to demonstrate improved service life through firing tests atFNMI.The Principal Investigator and the project team have the experience and expertise to develop ceramic composite gun barrels suitable for the infantry combat environmentEnhancement of barrel service life will reduce weapon lifecycle costs. The availability of low cost ceramic composites will benefit aerospace and industrial applications ranging from jet engines and rocket motors to corrosion-proof piping for chemicalprocessing.