DIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF ALUMINUM OXYNITRIDE (ALON) FROM THE MELT BY THE HEAT EXCHANGER METHOD (HEM)

ALUMINUM OXYNITRIDE SPINEL (ALON) HAS BEEN SINTERED IN TARNSPARENT, POLYCRYSTALLINE FORM. THE POLYCRYSTALLINE FORM ALUMINUM OXYNITRIDE SPINEL (ALON) HAS BEEN SINTERED INTO TRANSPARENT, POLYCRYSTALLINE FORM. THE POLYCRYSTALLINE FORM EXHIBITS LIGHT SCATTER AT GRAIN BOUNDARIES AND PORES. THE PRESENT PROPOSAL IS AN EFFORT TO ESTABLISH FEASABILITY OF PRODUCING ALON FROM THE MELT BY A CONTROLLED SOLIDIFICATION USING THE HEAT EXCHANGER METHOD (HEM). THIS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE LARGE, COLUMNAR GRAIN STRUCTURE MATERIAL DEVOID OF PROSPERITY AND, THEREFORE, EXHIBITING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS LIGHT SCATTER> THIS REQUIREMENT IS IMPORTANT FOR USE OF ALON AS MULTI-MODE MISSLE GUIDANCE WINDOW APPLICATIONS. THE PROPOSED WORK WILL BE COORDINATED WITH THE BASIC WORK DONE AT ARMY MATERIALS AND MECHANICS RESEARCH CENTER AND THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AT NAVAL WEAPONS CENTER, CHINA LAKE, CA.