Low Thermal Conductivity Fiber for Solid Rocket Nozzle Insulation

In this Phase I SBIR program, MATECH proposes to demonstrate production of continuous carbon fibers from a domestically sustainable rayon fiber precursor as a drop-in replacement for legacy viscose rayon based fiber in extreme Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) nozzles. The SRM industry has identified rayon precursor fiber as a critical material for the continued long-term production and development of SRM systems. To date, there is no domestic equivalent nor is there a commercially viable equivalent process to make these cellulosic fibers without the use of highly polluting and toxic chemicals. MATECH has partnered with the University of Alabama in Huntsville to leverage the Kaukler-Process (a green process that employs safe and recyclable ionic liquids) and MATECHs substantial experience in process scale-up, heat treatment, and spool-to-spool continuous fiber manufacturing, to lift an innovative low cost, low conductivity, domestically sustainable aerospace-grade carbon fibers as reinforcement for carbon phenolic ablative rocket nozzle insulators as an alternative to NARC/Enka rayon-based carbon fibers still in use today. MATECH and its corporate partners plan to identify potential road-blocks to scale-up to mature this technology, raising both the TRL and MRL of ILCF in activities notionally planned for the Phase II effort.