University of Notre Dame Du Lac

Honeywell International Inc.

Other

Purdue Research Foundation

Alexander Mukasyan

Mark L La Forest

Allen Simpson

Slawomir T Fryska

Roger L Klinedinst

Douglas J Steinke

Charles D D'Amico

Vasiliy Mukasyan

Mikael Nersesyan

Steven Forrest Son

Manuel Koucouthakis

Lori J Groven

Hayk Khachatryan

Arvind Varma

Bing-Yun Li

Jeremiah D E White

Robert V Reeves

Gregory Vanderheyden

Khachatur Manukyan

Surên Kharatyan

Allen H Simpson

A brake disc rotor or stator is manufactured with slots in the interior face of the disc. A paste comprised of a fine powder of a carbide-forming metal along with fine carbon powder, suspended in an organic binder, is applied to the force-bearing areas in the rotor slot faces or the stator slot faces. The disc is then placed into a furnace in a nitrogen atmosphere and heated to the ignition temperature. When the furnace reaches the ignition temperature, a combustion reaction begins that creates a molten liquid ceramic material on the slot face. Upon cooling, the resulting brake disc has a tough, hard, abrasion-resistant ceramic surface on the portion of the brake disc slot that bears pressure.

Reactive sintering to eliminate metal inserts in carbon-carbon brake discs

The invention provides methods for the combustion synthesis (CS) of graphene by a novel exothermic self-sustained reaction between a refractory ceramic compound and a carbon-containing polymer under an inert gas atmosphere. The synthesis of graphene was confirmed by both transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The graphene produced has very low (&#x3c;1 wt. %) oxygen content. Fluorocarbon gases released due to decomposition of the carbon-containing polymer in the combustion wave can reduce the ceramic to a gas and mesoporous carbon particles and graphene layers. The method does not require an external energy source because it occurs in a self-sustained synergetic manner after ignition. The methods are flexible in terms of tuning the synthesis conditions for desired products, and the method can be scaled to provide kilogram quantities.

Method of producing graphene and other carbon materials

Production of pore-free carbon/carbon-silicon carbide composite materials with mechanical properties making them suitable for use in such applications as the production of aircraft landing system brake components including brake discs. The method includes: providing a porous carbon-carbon composite preform; surrounding the porous carbon-carbon composite preform with silicon powder to form an intermediate construct; applying a uniaxial load to the construct; applying direct electrical current to an assembly containing the loaded construct of porous carbon-carbon preform surrounded by silicon powder, thereby melting the silicon powder and infiltrating the pores of the carbon-carbon preform with liquid silicon; and initiating a combustion-type reaction between the silicon and carbon in the preform, thereby forming silicon carbide in the preform.

Rapid synthesis of silicon carbide-carbon composites

A fuze includes a housing having a first end and an opposing second end and defining an elongate channel extending between the first and second ends; and a mechanically activated reactive material comprising at least first and second elements disposed within the channel.

Gasless ignition system and method for making same

Method of joining a carbon-carbon composite piecetogether with a metal insert, e.g. in the manufacture of aircraft brake discs. The method includes the steps of: providing a carbon-carbon composite pieceand a metal insert, wherein the metal inserthas a surface that is complementary to a surface of said carbon-carbon composite piece; providing a layer of a mixture of titanium powder and carbon powder on the first complementary mating surface; arranging the powder layer such that a second complementary mating surface is matched to the complementary mating surface, thereby forming a construct of the carbon-carbon composite piece, the powder layer, and the metal insert; placing the construct into a press and applying pressure to the construct to press together the carbon-carbon composite piece and the metal insert joined at their complementary surfaces; and applying an electrical current to the powder in the construct to initiate a metal-carbon reaction, thereby bonding the carbon-carbon composite piecetogether the metal insert. The titanium powder particles may be from 25 to 100 microns in diameter, and the carbon powder (e.g., graphite particles) may be 0.1 to 1 microns in diameter.

Combustion synthesis to bond metal inserts to C-C composite surfaces

An apparatus for bonding a first carbon composite to a second carbon composite through a reactant layer includes a housing, and a pair of conductive press plates electrically isolated from the housing. The press plates are adapted to position the two parts to be bonded with a reactant layer therebetween. The press plates are subjected to an electrical potential and a clamping force, sufficient to initiate a combustion reaction that creates a molten ceramic to bond together the carbon-carbon composites.

Bonding carbon-carbon composites through a reactant layer

A metal powder is applied to the surface of the area of a carbon-carbon composite brake disc to be protected against migration of antioxidant. The metal powder may be titanium powder or tungsten powder. A chemical reaction between the metal powder and carbon is then initiated by heating the powder-coated brake to the ignition temperature via application of electric current (Joule preheating) or by heating it in a furnace. Upon combustion, the metal particles react with carbon in the composite, forming liquid carbide that flows into pores of the composite brake disc to be protected.

Titanium carbide or tungsten carbide with combustion synthesis to block porosity in C-C brake discs for antioxidation protection

Method for chemical bonding of fiberglass fibers to steel surfaces to prepare the steel for bonding with carbon composite material. This fiber-bonding step greatly increases the strength of the subsequent metal-composite bond. The fiberglass fibers which are chemically bonded to the steel provide a high surface area interface to entangle with carbon fibers in the composite component, and thereby inhibit crack formation on the boundary surface between the steel and composite components when they are bonded together.

Functionally graded high temperature bonding of fiberglass fibers to steel

A method for synthesis of high surface-area (&#x3e;100 m/g) and nanosized (&#x2266;100 nm) silicon powder by initiation of self-sustained combustion reaction in a mixture of silicon dioxide and magnesium powders in a sealed reactor chamber under pressurized inert gas atmosphere. A specific feature of the method is rapid cooling of the product at a rate of 100 K/s to 400 K/s in the area directly behind the combustion front.

Method of manufacturing high-surface-area silicon

A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide powder with submicron size of powder particles wherein a homogeneous reactant mixture comprising a source of silicone, a source of carbon, and polytetrafluoroethylene is locally preheated in a sealed reaction chamber filled with an inert gas under pressure of 20 atm to 30 atm to a temperature sufficient to initiate an exothermic self-propagating reaction ranges from 650K to 900K. In the aforementioned homogeneous reactant mixture, the carbon source is used in the amount from 63 wt % to 68%, the silicon source is used in the amount of from 20 wt. % to 25 wt. %%, and the activated additive is used in the amount of from 8 wt. % to 15 wt. % per 100% of the entire homogeneous reactant mixture.

Method of manufacturing sub-micron silicon-carbide powder

Apparatus and methods for bonding carbon-carbon composites through a reactant layer

Method of joining carbon-carbon composite pieces together, e.g. in the refurbishment of aircraft brake discs. The method includes the steps of: providing a first carbon-carbon composite piece and a second carbon-carbon composite piece, wherein the second carbon-carbon composite piece has a surface that is complementary to a surface of said first carbon-carbon composite piece; providing a layer of a mixture of titanium powder and carbon powder on the first complementary mating surface; arranging the second carbon-carbon composite piece on the powder layer such that the second complementary mating surface is matched to the first complementary mating surface, thereby forming a construct of the first carbon-carbon composite piece, the powder layer, and the second carbon-carbon composite piece; placing the construct into a press and applying pressure to the construct to press together the two pieces joined at their complementary surfaces; and applying an electrical current to the powder in the construct to initiate an oxidation-reduction reaction, thereby bonding the carbon-carbon composite pieces together.

Bonding of carbon-carbon composites using titanium carbide

Resin-impregnated carbon fiber composites containing metal inserts. Carbon fibers or a carbon fiber preform are bonded to a metal structural member. Once the carbon fiber-metal bond is established, the fiber-metal assembly or hybrid preform is impregnated with resin, to form an article in which bonding between the metal structural member and the composite remainder of the article is greatly enhanced. In a process embodiment, a metal insert, e.g. a steel insert, is provided in contact with particulate carbide-forming metal, e.g. titanium, and with carbon fiber segments. Then an electric current is passed through the carbide-forming metal particles and carbon fibers to heat them to a temperature above the melting point of the carbide-forming metal. This initiates an exothermic reaction, which forms liquid phase metal carbide. Subsequently the liquid phase metal carbide is cooled and solidified, thereby bonding the carbon fiber segments to the metal insert.

Bonding of carbon fibers to metal inserts for use in composites

A method for synthesis of biomedical alloys has been developed based on combustion phenomena. This low pressure combustion synthesis (LPCS) technique may be used for production of Co-based and other metal-based alloys, which cover the entire range of orthopaedic implants, including total hip and knee replacements, as well as hone screws, plates, and wires. A unique aspect of the method is that combustion synthesis under low ambient gas pressure allows one to produce pore-free (&#x3e;99% theoretical density) alloys with high purity and precise chemical and phase compositions.

Growing community of inventors

Granger, IN, United States of America

Alexander Mukasyan