Intelligent Processing of Materials in Jet Vapor

COMPOSITE MATERIALS COMPOSED OF ALTERNATING, SUBMICRON LAYERS OF DISPARATE MATERIALS, SUCH AS CERAMICS AND METALS, HAVE ENHANCED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES WHEN COMPARED WITH CONVENTIONAL MATERIALS. THE CHALLENGE IS TO ECONOMICALLY MANUFACTURE SUCH MATERIALS AT HIGH RATE AND LOW COST IN THE FORM OF "NEAR NET SHAPE" COMPONENTS WITH LOCAL PROPERTIES "TAILORED" FOR THE INTENDED STRUCTURAL APPLICATION. WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP HIGH RATE TI AND MG METAL VAPOR SOURCES FOR USE IN OUR INNOVATIVE, PATENTED JET VAPOR DEPOSITION (JVD) PROCESS FOR MICROLAMINATE COMPOSITE MATERIAL FABRICATION. JVD HAS ALREADY BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY TO DEPOSIT HIGH QUALITY AL/AL203 MICROLAMINATE MATERIALS AT HIGH RATE. THE GOAL OF THIS PHASE I EFFORT IS TO EXTEND THE JVD PROCESS TO HIGH RATE DEPOSITION OF THE STRUCTURALLY IMPORTANT TI AND MG MATERIALS SYSTEMS. A FURTHER GOAL IS TO ENHANCE THE JET SOURCE DEPOSITION RATES TO AS HIGH AS 1 CM3 PER MINUTE FOR HIGHER THROUGHPUT AND LOWER COST MANUFACTURE OF MICROLAMINATE COMPOSITE MATERIALS. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS - PHASE I SUCCESS WILL ADD TO THE FOUNDATION FOR LOW COST MANUFACTURE OF HIGH QUALITY, ADVANCED MICROLAMINATE STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES IN THE FORM OF "NEAR NET SHAPE" COMPONENTS WITH BOTH BULK AND SURFACE PROPERTIES TAILORED FOR USE IN ADVANCED AEROSPACE, AUTOMOTIVE, AND BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS.