Improving Performance of Solid Rocket Fuel Through Advancements in Materials Science

American Energy Technologies Company, a woman-owned small business concern out of Arlington Heights, Illinois will conduct the modeling, technology development and prototyping of the specialized carbon-based ram jet nozzle inserts aimed at maximizing the combustion performance of new-generation solid rocket fuels. The primary objective of the inserts will be to prevent condensation of oxide phase on the nozzle. Simulation work will be supported by advanced in-house manufacturing, which will result in the fabrication of several candidate carbon composite materials uniquely suited for new formulations of solid rocket fuel. These will focus on the optimization of their thermal, mechanical, and light-reflective properties, with the latter being of critical importance for handling light-emission energy fluxes which form during the transition of vapor-phase non-stoichiometric oxides to their fully and/or near-stoichiometric equivalents. The work is expected to result in the formulation of new guiding principles for the development of carbon-based nozzle inserts designed for handling new types of solid fuel. The adjacent material characterization work will result in the development of materials whose conceptual properties meet model expectations. Work will also include advanced materials characterization to determine thermal and mechanical properties of the newly proposed composite materials.