Award Data

The next generation of ballistic missiles will require materials which are light-weight and have high-temperature resistance to withstand heating caused by the extreme velocity and harsh environments. In general, ceramic materials satisfy the above requirements for missile applications. More specifically, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) comprising matrices and fibers which have good thermo-mech ...

Touchstone Research Laboratory is currently producing carbon foam in its pilot production facility. In the Phase I feasibility study, Touchstone identified opportunities to reduce the production cycle by combining manufacturing processes. The results indicated that a batch foaming process was optimum and the heat treatment step should be converted to a continuous process. This would lead to a s ...

Touchstone Research Laboratory has developed a novel material, CFOAMr. The primary enabling carbon foam characteristic is that the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) values are comparable to carbon fiber polymer matrix systems in manufacturing advanced composites. Other advantages of carbon foam-based tools are low mass, reduced energy, easy modifications, unmatched repair capabilities, and r ...

Lightweight and structurally strong carbon foam will be integrated with an inexpensive, super insulating carbon or silica aerogel resulting in a new material that, when combined, will increase performance over either material individually. MDA has a need for thermal protection systems to withstand enormous shear stresses of hypersonic flight for rapid global deployment of munitions payloads. Tou ...

Beryllium commands a unique position as a metal for engineering applications. It exhibits high thermal conductivity, modest thermal expansion, combines a high elastic modulus with a low density to exhibit an unsurpassed specific stiffness (modulus/density). However, the attributes of Be and its alloys are countered by two significant drawbacks: 1) toxicity, and 2) high cost. Over the past two ...