Award

Advanced Ceramic Fibers, LLC (ACF) completed the Navy SBIR Phase I Base Program and clearly demonstrated the feasibility of our approach to create a truly robust composite for turbine engines that exceeds the known boundaries for ceramic composites and the Navy performance objectives for this Topic. Our engineered materials approach involved in-depth background experience in ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), modeling and selection of materials to combine ultra-high temperature (UHT) alpha silicon carbide/carbon (a-SiC/C) fibers with a proprietary interphase debond layer with a silicon carbide ceramic matrix. These composite materials opened up an entirely new world of stronger, more stable, lightweight, UHT design opportunities that were previously unknown and makes further development efforts truly compelling. The development of 2700 degree F capable fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites (FRCMC),with enhanced material performance in salt and moisture environments, is critical to achieving higher military turbine engine performance utility.