Rapid, Affordable C-C Using MG Resin

High temperature resistant materials, including carbon-carbon (C-C) are critical to enabling the thermal protection of hypersonic DoD weapons.  A specific focus of the Defense Logistics Agency is on innovation for improved production rate and affordability for C-C thermal protection systems and delivery of that innovation to DoD system manufacturers. Cornerstone Research Group Inc. (CRG) proposes to use MG resin systems to demonstrate dramatic improvements in speed of production for C-C components for DoD hypersonic vehicles. MG resin has a char yield of over 70% and only needs to reach carbon state 3 to have comparable properties to carbon state 4 Huntsman benzoxazine, and carbon state 6 phenolic ACC-6. This reduction in densification steps from 6 to 4 to 3 results in a reduction in fabrication labor hours of 28% compared to Huntsman benzoxazine, and 43% compared to ACC-6. In the same capital equipment, MG resin uses 81% less furnace time than Huntsman benzoxazine, and 82% less furnace time than the benchmark ACC-6 C-C material, when fabricating 1” thick medium frustrum parts which results in significant cost reductions.   Along with improvements in processing speed, CRG will also demonstrate the pathway to improved affordability through high volume materials production and efficient use of high cost capital equipment.  CRG has recently announced a partnership with Karman Space and Defense and their divisions Systima Technologies and AAE to scale up the production of MG resin and insert MG resin technology into a wide variety of DoD and space-based applications.  MG resin systems provide a unique advantage to Karman-Systima and Karman-AAE to improve performance, lead times, and affordability for ablative shrouds, rocket nozzles, rocket motor cases and liners, and carbon-carbon acreage and seal structures.  Karman-Systima is currently producing hardware for multiple DoD hypersonic systems and is well positioned to insert this technology into multiple systems for the ultimate benefit of the DoD.  Karman-AAE uses over 100,000 pounds of phenolic prepreg a year in manufacturing a wide variety of ablative nozzles and other high temperature components for DoD applications.  Use of MG resin systems in place of phenolic will help improve leadtimes and reduce costs.  The CRG/Karman team will demonstrate a new, integrated supply chain option for C-C components for hypersonic vehicles based on MG resins under this SBIR program and the follow on efforts.  This program will position CRG/Karman to insert this technology into current and future DoD platforms and provide leadtime and cost reductions to those platforms.