THE DEVELOPMENT OF BERYLLIDE INTERMETALLIC MATERIALS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE NAVY MISSILE SYSTEMS

BERYLLIDE INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS OFFER THE POTENTIAL TO ACHIEVE EXCEPTIONAL SPECIFIC MECHANICAL PROPERTIES IN THE 1000 TO 1500 C TEMPERATURE RANGE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS ANALYSES AND MATERIALS AND PROCESSES EVALUATIONS TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY AND POTENTIAL OF BERYLLIDES OR REINFORCED BERYLLIDES FOR ADVANCED NAVSEA MISSILE SYSTEMS. THE PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON IDENTIFYING THE BERYLLIDE COMPOUNDS (S) THAT BEST MEET MISSSILE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATING THE SYNTHESIS AND PROCESSING METHODS, PURITY CONTROL AND MICROSTRUCTURE THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE THE NECESSARY STRENGTH AND TOUGHNESS FOR THESE APPLICATIONS. TASKS WILL INCLUDE ANALYSIS OF MISSILE APPLICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS, SURVEY OF AVAILABLE BERYLLIDE PROPERTIES/ PROCESSING DATA, DETAILED CHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND MICROSTRUCTURE CHARACTERIZATION OF EXISTING ARCHIVE BERYLLIDE MATERIALS (INCLUDING EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF REINFORCEMENT COMPATIBILITY); AND THE SELECTION OF CANDIDATE BERYLLIDES AND PROCESSING METHODS FOR DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING IN PHASE II. BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THIS WORK, A BERYLLIDE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PLANS, CONCENTRATING ON NAVSEA APPLICATIONS, WILL BE PREPARED.