 Missile Defense Agency was interested in investigating carbon nanotubes as an alternative material to continuous carbon fiber composites for rocket motor casings. The major advantage is the ability to manufacture composite structures using a simple casting process instead of the filament winding processes currently used. Casting into complex shapes would greatly reduce cycle time and expense of composite structures compared to other methods.
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) possess a unique combination of high strength, high modulus, and high elongation. Before the benefits of these materials can be realized in missile defense structural applications, SWNT fillers must be made compatible with the thermosetting resins traditionally used in these applications so that load transfer into the nanotubes can be accomplished.
During this program, Foster-Miller and its team developed SWNT treatment technology, and demonstrated 40 percent increase in flexure strength of a structural epoxy with the addition of 10 weight percent SWNTs. The program included:
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Improvement in dispersion and blending techniques.
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Development of techniques for SWNT amine functionalization, to provide a mechanism for load transfer from an organic matrix into the SWNT.
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Characterization and testing of materials to verify property enhancement.
This effort falls under the umbrella of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), which has as its goal the development of materials and technology to support the "next industrial revolution." To conduct the work, Foster-Miller assembled a strong team including ATK/Thiokol, a major producer of high-technology solid rocket motors for space, defense, and commercial launch applications and Carbon Nanotechnologies, Inc., the largest U. S. supplier of single-walled carbon nanotubes.
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