Polymer Derived Yttrium Silicate Cermai Matrix Composite Hot Structure Materials for Atmospheric Entry Vrhicles, Phase I

Through the proposed SBIR program, NanoSonic will provide NASA with next-generation, polymer derived yttrium silicate ceramic matrix composites (CMC) helically wound and reactively bonded to high temperature titanium alloy and carbon / carbon (C/C) substrates. NanoSonic’s CMC’s will consist of filament wound silicon carbide fibers embedded within a polymer derived yttrium silicate host matrix that has demonstrated thermo-oxidative durability in excess of 2,000 oC. NanoSonic’s filament winding CMC manufacturing process will have immediate, cost-effective scalability enabling integration within reusable, multifunctional hot structure technologies for atmospheric entry vehicles including leading edge, fuselage, and tank structures. NanoSonic is currently developing lightweight, high temperature composite wrapped gun tubes and will leverage this expertise to produce game-changing filament wound CMC’s with broad applicability in future NASA hot structure systems that are low-cost, lightweight, damage tolerant, and reusable. In support of a rapid Phase III transition, NanoSonic has generated significant defense prime interest in the proposed filament wound, polymer derived CMC technology and has an established pilot scale HybridSil manufacturing infrastructure that may transition down-selected resins to 55-gallon batch production quantities.