MATERIALS SCIENCES LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF182-097

Description

Next generation hypersonic vehicles require advanced thermal protection systems (TPS) to meet performance objectives. The development of these advanced systems requires the continued research of materials that have a TPS pedigree, i.e., carbon-carbon (C-C) composites. At least for short durations, C-C has the capability to withstand very high temperatures while maintaining structural integrity. Even though these materials have been used for decades, their manufacturing (mfg) processes are still a craft. In order to improve properties, increase process repeatability, as well as reduced manufacturing and qualification costs and decrease manufacturing times an improved understanding and modeling of the manufacturing processes used to make C-C composites is needed. In response to this need, Materials Sciences Corporation in collaboration will Lawrence Livermore National laboratory proposes linking an established nonlinear composite material modeling methodology to a chemical process simulation model in order to develop a manufacturing process modeling tool that accurately predicts variations in mechanical and physical properties in C-C components. In particular, we propose the development of a kinetically informed simulation capability for the prediction of void structure within C-C materials as they undergo pyrolytic conversion from a resin precursor to their final sp2 hybridized carbon form.