NASA SBIR 02-1 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Ceracom Inc
200 Turnpike Road
Chelmsford , MA   01824 - 1234
(978 ) 250 - 4200

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mr. Kirk Newton
knewton@ceracominc.com
200 Turnpike Road
Chelmsford , MA   01824 - 1234
(978 ) 250 - 4200

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Ceracom will demonstrate innovative self healing carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide (SiC) matrix ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials that will enable the deployment of oxidation and damage resistant components for hot sections of oxygen/fuel powered propulsion systems and hypersonic vehicle surfaces. Ceracom?s unique materials system design approach to oxidation protection and self healing behavior focuses on the entire system or component and not just a surface coating. The system level approach includes innovative new materials and micro-structures for the fiber-matrix interface, new mixed oxide glassy phase matrix modifiers that impart self healing behavior to the basic SiC based matrix and coating or impregnation materials that seal the composite from oxygen ingress at temperatures over 4000oF. Ceracom?s new self healing CMC materials include alloyed and combined particle inclusions in the matrix that form an array of mixed oxide glassy phases when exposed to oxygen. This glassy phase has a controlled viscosity for a wide range of temperatures and seals micro-cracks to prevent oxygen ingress. The combination of all these approaches enables the use of carbon fiber CMC?s in many long life applications that will be needed to meet program goals for NASA?s Gen 2 and Gen 3 programs.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The ability to use carbon fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites in oxidizing atmospheres at elevated temperatures is the limiting factor in the wide spread commercial use of CMC?s in many commercial applications. The low cost of carbon fiber is needed to enable the insertion of CMC into commercial applications in aviation and land based gas turbine engines, burner liners and kiln hardware for commercial furnaces and applications in metals processing. The ability to suppress oxidation without the use of expensive SiC fibers will open this market to CMC?s

POTENTIAL NASA APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The ability to use carbon fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites in oxidizing atmospheres at elevated temperatures is the limiting factor in the wide spread commercial use of CMC?s in many aerospace applications. If successfully developed this technology would find immediate use in high speed applications,including turbine combined cycle, rocket based combined cycle and rocket propulsion. In addition the self healing CMCs would be used as hot structures and large acreage TPS on reusable launch and space vehicles.