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Low Cost Support Structures, With New Advanced Composite Materials Tailored For Ultra-Stable Particle Tracking Detectors--HYTEC, Inc., 110 Eastgate Dr., Suite 100, Los Alamos, NM 87544-3304; 505-662-0080
Mr. William O. Miller, Principal Investigator
Mr. William O. Miller, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-99ER82801
Amount: $99,985
Precision charged-particle detectors for high energy physics research rely upon ultra-high-modulus composite materials. Designs which address the need for low mass, low percent radiation length, and exacting stability, frequently make use of expensive fiber systems and equally expensive graphite-fiber honeycomb core materials. As detector sizes increase, the high costs of the materials themselves and the material processing labor can force cost/benefit tradeoffs that sacrifice detector performance. This project will develop new material processing techniques for producing high stiffness sandwich panels from inexpensive composite materials. A novel heat-treating process for carbon-carbon laminates produce sandwich facings with 60 percent greater stiffness at half the cost of resin-based composites. Also, a new very low-density, high modulus syntactic carbon foam material will be developed. Phase I will evaluate material properties of carbon-carbon laminates processed from low-cost, meso-pitch precursor material; validate material processing steps for producing ultra-high modulus carbon-carbon laminates; develop high-modulus syntactic carbon foam at .05 g/cc; construct sample sandwich panels; and establish bending properties. Ultimately, complete detector structures will be constructed, including carbon structures free of adhesives for maximum radiation resistance.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new material processing techniques should have applicability to stable structures for next generation physics detectors, passive cooling of high heat flux electronics, and lightweight space-based optical structures requiring passive cooling. Cost savings of 50 percent should be achievable, along with performance increases of 60 percent.