Research and Development of Nano-engineered Materials for Multimode Guidance System of Hypersonic Vehicles
Abstract
Multimode guidance has received significant attention and rapid development due to the ability to receive a multitude of spectral information, thus mitigating the shortcomings of single-mode guidance. Additionally, with the continuousincrease of the Mach number of vehicles flight, high hypersonic radome and window materials must be capable of withstanding higher temperatures and thermal shock. Therefore, high-temperature wave-transmitting materials are one of the main challenges towards the development of high hypersonic vehicles for the future. The primary objective of this project is fundamentally to study and develop new classes of high-performance cBN-Y2O3 transparent nano-engineered ceramics for an integrated radio frequency and infrared applications which can perform under the extreme aerothermal heating and thermomechanical stresses of hypersonic flight. The research will focus on studying the fundamentals of synthesis of relative materials, a novel colloid system for near-net-shape technique, and sintering processes to achieve fully-dense nanocomposites. The optical, mechanical, and electrical properties at different temperatures will be studied and characterized to tailor the materials systems.It is challenging to meet the requirements for hypersonic vehicle applications under extreme environments using current window and radome materials. The cBN-Y2O3 nanocomposite materials are expectedto have more stsical properties, low dielectric constants, and greater mechanical properties and can meet the requirements of being heat-resistant, load- bearing, and wave-transparent under the hypersonic flying conditions. The methodology is primarily based on 1) theoretical analysis and prediction of materials properties; 2) wet chemical processing of designed nanopowders; 3) advanced sintering technologies for densification; 4) engineering of colloidal suspensions for gel-casting and 3D printing; 5) characterizations of materials structures; and 6) measurements of physical properties at different temperatures.We will execute the following tasks as our milestones to achieve: 1) theoretical analysis of physical properties of doped Y2O3; 2) experimental studies of dopant effects on the dielectric properties of Y2O3 ceramics; 3) chemical synthesis of cBN and Y2O3 nanopowders with desired opticaland physical properties; 4) sintering of Y2O3 and cBN ceramics by using commercial and synthesized powders; 5) development of cBN-Y2O3 nano-engineered composites with various compositions and microstructures; 6) investigations of the optical, mechanical, wave-transparent, and electrical properties of the developed materials; and 7) development of technologies for near-net-shape processing of ceramic composites with desired shapes.The newly developed materials will have good and stable dielectric properties over a wide range of temperatures, as well as excellent wave-transmitting, mechanical, ablation, thermal insulation, and thermal shock resistance. The materials will be able to withstand high temperatures, which is consistent with high-Mach number vehicles. The new materials will be capable of withstanding server thermal-shock due to a low thermal expansion coefficient in order to reduce cracks caused by thermal-shock stress. Furthermore, the materials can withstand the impacts of gravel and rain droplets during high-speed flight, and are resistant to acid and alkali corrosion, and rain water erosion. The achieved outcomes are anticipated to advance ONR related research efforts in developing new classes of nano-engineered materials as windows for future hypersonic vehicle applications under extreme environments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 05, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112394
Entities
People
- Yiquan Wu
Organizations
- Alfred University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy