Ultra High Temperature Composites for Thermal Protection Systems

Ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) are a class of ceramics that are physically and chemically stable at temperatures above 2400°C and have melting temperature above 3200°C. Potential applications of these materials include components for leading edges and nose cones of hypersonic missiles and vehicles, kinetic energy interceptors, advanced ceramic engine components, re-entry vehicles, and as TPS for rocket thrust nozzles, etc. The research team will develop composites of UHTC top layer (e.g., ZrB2-SiC) and PZT piezoelectric/ZrO2 chemical sensing/Polymer Derived Ceramic (PDC) bottom layer which would allow to perform temperature, oxygen content, and stress sensing. While the top layer is highly oxidation-resistant at elevated temperatures, the bottom layer can sense mechanical and thermal stresses, as well as provide an input on the oxidation status of the upper ZrB2 UHTC layer. Thus UHTC composites with multifunctional structures will be developed. The team proposes to utilize a rapid processing scheme called spark plasma sintering (SPS) method that can sinter powders within 5 min at elevated temperatures and simultaneously provide a gradient in the temperature profile so that ceramics and sensor materials (with piezoelectric properties) can be sintered simultaneously to form multifunctional materials as desired. Hot isostatic pressing along with magnetron sputtering will be also used for multilayered materials' manufacturing. The proposal focuses on development of many such multifunctional systems with different combination of materials, and will investigate fundamental issues of processibility, microstructure development, interfacial characteristics, and mechanical performance.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Program Information: Commercial Space Transportation, Vehicle Safety - Technologies

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $245090.00
• Contract Numbers:

  10-C-CST-UCF

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591
• Project Managers:

  Davidian, Ken

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Central Florida, Orlando

  P.O. Box 25000
  Orlando, FL  United States  32816
• Principal Investigators:

  Ilie, Marcel

  An, Linan

  Kapat, Jay

  Orlovskaya, Nina

• Start Date: 20110101
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20130531
• Source Data: RiP Project 30472

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ceramic materials; Commercial space transportation; Composite materials; Cones; High temperature; Nose; Spacecraft
• Uncontrolled Terms: Thermal protection
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I30: Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01483857
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 10-C-CST-UCF
• Files: RIP
• Created Date: Jun 14 2013 1:09AM