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Lightweight, Beryllium Free Nanostructured Composites

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Missile Defense Agency
Contract: DASG60-02-P-0041
Agency Tracking Number: 02-0844
Amount: $70,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2002
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
4914 D Moores Mill Road
Huntsville, AL 35811
United States
DUNS: 799114574
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Tim McKechnie
 President
 (256) 851-7653
 timmck@plasmapros.com
Business Contact
 Tim McKechnie
Title: President
Phone: (256) 851-7653
Email: timmck@plasmapros.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

"Beryllium has been for used for generations in the aerospace structures and other applications due to its lightweight, high stiffness, low thermal expansion and high thermal conductivity. Despite its usefulness, beryllium is not an ideal material as it isexpensive, too brittle to work and poses a severe health hazard due to its toxic behavior resulting in chronic beryllium disease. The present effort will develop a nanostructured, non-toxic lightweight beryllium-free alloy, which has similar materialproperties as that of beryllium. Highly stiff hypereutectic aluminum silicon alloys will be used as the matrix material which will be reinforced with nano-size alumina particles. The reinforcement will use nano-size particles to increase the mechanicalstrength and stiffness. In the present work, the low cost and energy efficient methods of near net shape forming using will be employed to fabricate this novel lightweight and high stiffness composite material into useful shapes. The results of the Phase I effort will clearly demonstrate the ability to fabricate nanostructured beryllium free lightweight composite material. Development of these innovative nanostructured materials will allow the production of robust lightweightcomponents with high strength and stiffness. Such unique properties will reduce the weight and cost of boost and tactical missile system. Potential clients for these lightweight components are users such as DOD, NASA

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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