THE DEVELOPMENT OF FEBES FIBERS USING A DUAL PLASMA DEPOSITION SYSTEM

NEW FIBERS ARE NEEDED TO PRODUCE INTERMETALLIC COMPOSITES FOR USE IN AERO- AND SPACE-PROPULSION SYSTEMS BECAUSE EXISTING FIBERS DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE THERMOCHEMICAL STABILITY IN DESIRABLE STRUCTURAL MATERIALS SUCH AS IRON ALUMINIDE. FEBE5 HAS BEEN PREDICTED TO HAVE THERMOCHEMICAL STABILITY IN IRON ALUMINIDE AND WOULD BE A DESIRABLE REINFORCEMENT IF IT COULD BE PRODUCED IN A HIGH-STRENGTH, FIBROUS FORM. A NEW DUAL PLASMA PROCESS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO DEPOSIT FEBE5 AND OTHER DIFFICULT-TO-DEPOSIT MATERIALS AT HIGH DEPOSITION RATES. THE DUAL PLASMA PROCESS WILL BE UTILIZED TO DEVELOP THE DEPOSITION OF FEBE5 INTO OXIDE FIBER SUBSTRATE PRODUCING FIBER DIAMETERS UP TO 75U. THE FEBE5 FIBERS WILL BE CHARACTERIZED FOR MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND COMPATIBILITY INAN IRON ALUMINIDE MATRIX. NEW FIBERS ARE NEEDED TO PRODUCE INTERMETALLIC COMPOSITES FOR USE IN AERO- AND SPACE-PROPULSION SYSTEMS BECAUSE EXISTING FIBERS DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE THERMOCHEMICAL STABILITY IN DESIRABLE STRUCTURAL MATERIALS SUCH AS IRON ALUMINIDE. FEBE5 HAS BEEN PREDICTED TO HAVE THERMOCHEMICAL STABILITY IN IRON ALUMINIDE AND WOULD BE A DESIRABLE REINFORCEMENT IF IT COULD BE PRODUCED IN A HIGH-STRENGTH, FIBROUS FORM. A NEW DUAL PLASMA PROCESS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO DEPOSIT FEBE5 AND OTHER DIFFICULT-TO-DEPOSIT MATERIALS AT HIGH DEPOSITION RATES. THE DUAL PLASMA PROCESS WILL BE UTILIZED TO DEVELOP THE DEPOSITION OF FEBE5 INTO OXIDE FIBER SUBSTRATE PRODUCING FIBER DIAMETERS UP TO 75U. THE FEBE5 FIBERS WILL BE CHARACTERIZED FOR MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND COMPATIBILITY INAN IRON ALUMINIDE MATRIX.