SBIR Phase I: CHAPS (Carbon Hybrid Anchoring Precipitation System)

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is based on the manufacture of new lightweight materials made from aluminum and carbon fiber. These materials can be created with advanced properties and at accelerated production rates, resulting in superior and affordable materials used in high-performance industries. Current metal matrix composite materials have inferior mechanical properties due to defects at the interface between the metal and the carbon fiber phases and poor metallurgical bonding. Through scientific investigations into the structure and dynamics of phase formation, this project will develop materials with the low defects and effective load-transfer properties needed for commercial application. The new material has environmental benefits by reducing the weight of manufactured parts in vehicles and other applications, thus reducing fuel requirements and associated greenhouse gas emissions. Customers span high-performance sectors such as transportation, automotive, aerospace, and defense, all pursuing materials that merge mechanical excellence, energy efficiency, and cost effectiveness. The market for such composite materials in the U.S. is projected to grow to $124 million by 2028. The proposed material’s competitive advantage will be superior performance, high-throughput processing, and lightweight yet strong characteristics. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to demonstrate high-strength reinforcements in a metal matrix composite where failure is most likely. The proposed process achieves this by leveraging interface precipitates influenced by reactions between the carbon fiber, aluminum matrix alloying elements, and rare earth element coatings. These precipitates act as anchoring phases, resulting in low-defect-density interfaces and enhanced composite performance. The Phase I objectives are to (1) elucidate the microstructural evolution at the interfaces of aluminum-carbon fiber composites under the influence of rare-earth element coatings and copper in the matrix alloy, (2) identify the composition and microstructure of the anchoring phase at the aluminum-carbon fiber interfaces, and (3) understand the role of coatings in infiltration behavior during casting of aluminum-carbon fiber composites. The project uses high-resolution characterization to investigate the microstructural dynamics and phase formations, the uniformity of precipitate distribution, the influence of rare-earth element coatings on the composition and nanostructure of the interface, the infiltration behavior during casting, and the interfacial adhesion dynamics and metallurgical bonding and defect density in the material. The outcome will be a demonstration of the material’s high mechanical strength and the impact of interfacial phases on mechanical properties. The study will enable new composition-of-matter intellectual property based on unique microstructure arrangements and properties. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.