Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Other

Grumman Corporation

Monet Jewelers, Inc.

Northtrop Grumman Corporation

Thomas Edward Strasser

Steven Donald Atmur

Philip Shacter

Michael James Hagen

William Scott Richardson

William James Marsh

Robert Allan Schwindler

Edward H Streim

Robert Alan Schwindler

Mark William Bland

William Eugene Coonce

A method of fabricating a discontinuous-fiber, ceramic matrix green-state composite component. The method includes preparation of a mixture of discontinuous fibers, in a quantity equal to about 100% of a desired end-product fiber quantity thereof, and a polymer-derived ceramic precursor resin in an excess quantity greater than about 150% of a desired end-product resin quantity thereof. The mixture so prepared then is introduced into a cavity of a molding tool and a vacuum is applied to the cavity through a vacuum aperture leading from the cavity. The mixture is drawn toward the vacuum aperture and consequently compacts a quantity of fibers within the cavity at the aperture site such that the fibers function as a filter to efficiently retain within the cavity fibers within the original mixture while removing under vacuum the excess resin that provided an effective vehicle for carrying and dispersing the discontinuous fibers. Finally, the molding tool is heated to a temperature and for a time sufficient to cure the resin/fiber mixture within the cavity and thereby fabricate the green-state composite component in a structurally sound manner.

Method of fabricating ceramic matrix composites employing a vacuum mold procedure

A method of fabricating a ceramic structure as well as a pre-ceramic preimpregnated composite material incorporating a continuous woven fiber and a discontinuous fiber pre-ceramic matrix for subsequent curing and component construction. The method includes preparation of a mixture of discontinuous fibers, fillers, and a pre-ceramic precursor resin where the precursor resin is present in a quantity sufficient to substantially saturate subsequently adjacent woven fiber lengths, and thereafter introducing the mixture to a situs between an upper length of woven fiber and a lower length of woven fiber in alignment with each other while effectuating linear movement of these woven fiber lengths and moving the lengths toward each other for compression and retention in a sandwich configuration to thereby fabricate a pre-ceramic preimpregnated composite material. The material is cut to size in accord with the configuration of a part to be manufactured, formed into a green-state structure, and cured. Finished-product characteristics show a substantially uniform distribution of discontinuous fibers and fillers within the ceramic resin matrix to thereby provide a substantially internally stress-free end product component.

Combination continuous woven-fiber and discontinuous ceramic-fiber structure

A fracture-resistant, thermally stable intake or exhaust valve for an internal combustion (IC) engine. The valve has a stem portion and a head portion, both of which are formed of fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) material. This FRCMC material generally includes a polymer-derived ceramic resin in its ceramic state, fibers, and filler materials. Employing FRCMC material to form the valve is advantageous as FRCMC material is highly temperature resistant and temperature stable, thereby allowing for increased engine operating temperatures. FRCMC material is also ductile, thus making the valve fracture resistant. The FRCMC material is also flaw-insensitive in that any flaw within the structure of the valve will not result in cracking and failure. In addition, FRCMC valves are considerably lighter than the existing metal valves. This provides an opportunity to reduce the weight of the overall valve train, thereby increasing engine performance. The addition of certain filler materials allows the FRCMC material to be tailored to exhibit a desired degree of harness and/or a desired coefficient of friction. Increasing the hardness of the head of the valve allows it to better withstand the violent environment of the engine cylinder, and lowering the coefficient of friction facilitates the valve movement within the engine.

Fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite internal combustion engine intake/exhaust valves

An integrated, layered armor structure having multiple layers which alternate in their exhibited characteristics between extremely hard and ductile. The extremely hard layers of the armor structure are designed to shatter an impacting projectile, or pieces thereof, and to fracture in such a way as to dissipate at least a portion of the kinetic energy associated with the projectile pieces and to disperse the projectile pieces and hard layer fragments over a wide area. The ductile layers of the armor structure are designed to yield under the force of impinging projectile pieces and hard layer fragments from an adjacent hard layer. This yielding dissipates at least a portion of the remaining kinetic energy of these pieces and fragments. Pieces and fragments not possessing sufficient kinetic energy to tear through the ductile layer are trapped therein and so stopped.

Fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite armor

Structural ceramic matrix composite material to be employed as automotive engine parts and the like is provided with erosion-resistant qualities in several ways. For one, an erosion-resistant material is applied to the surface as by plasma spraying. The erosion-resistant material can also be mixed with the fibers of the material, particularly near the surface.

Reducing wear between structural fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite automotive engine parts in sliding contacting relationship

A heat-resistant, thermally insulative, ductile turbocharger housing for an internal combustion engine having a structure comprised at least partially of fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) material. The FRCMC material includes a polymer-derived ceramic resin in its ceramic form and fibers. The material, being for the most part ceramic, provides the heat-resistance and thermal insulating capabilities of the FRCMC material, while the fibers produce a desired degree of ductility in the FRCMC material.

Method for forming a ceramic matrix composite turbocharger housing

A method for rapidly manufacturing &ldquo;green-state&rdquo; ceramic matrix composite components, components made from this method, and a resin/catalyst precursor mixture used in the method. The method includes manufacturing a component by preparing the precursor mixture by mixing a requisite quantity of a polymer-derived ceramic precursor resin, a catalyst, a discontinuous reinforcing fiber and filler material, and then loading this precursor mixture in a preheated mold. The precursor mixture then is cured in the mold to form the component which is porous. Thereafter, the component is reinfilitrated with a resin to at least partially fill the pores of the component. This method yields a ceramic matrix composite component that is cured in approximately one minute as well as a resin/catalyst precursor mixture that can be stored in excess of four weeks.

Polymer-derived ceramic matrix composite components

A fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) structure exhibiting tailored characteristics such as ductility, hardness, and coefficient of friction. Generally, this tailoring involves incorporating fibers into the composite in sufficient quantities to produce a certain degree of ductility, and if desired, incorporating filler material into the composite in sufficient quantities to produce a desired degree of other characteristics such as hardness and coefficient of friction. In both cases, the degree to which these respective characteristics are exhibited varies with the percent by volume of fibers and filler materials incorporated into the structure. Additionally, the degree to which these respective characteristics are exhibited varies with the form of fibers used (i.e., continuous or non-continuous) and with type of filler material employed. Thus, the tailoring of the characteristics exhibited by a FRCMC structure specifically involves selecting the quantity and form of the fibers that will produce the desired ductility, and selecting the amount and types of filler material that will produce the desired hardness and/or coefficient of friction in the FRCMC material.

Ceramic composite materials having tailored physical properties

A method of fiber preparation for discontinuous fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite and a coated discontinuous fiber prepared by this method. The method includes immersing a fiber spool in a resin and drip drying the fiber spool until any excess resin is removed. Next, the damp fiber is cut or chopped and heated to the green-state cure temperature of the resin. After the resin has cured, the product is a coated discontinuous fiber whereby the inner fiber filament bundle is held together by a cured resin shell and the individual filaments are held together by the resin.

Ceramic-matrix composite component fabrication

A heat-resistant, thermally insulative, ductile port liner for a head of an internal combustion (IC) engine having a tube-shaped structure formed from at least one layer of fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) material. The FRCMC material includes a polymer-derived ceramic resin in its ceramic form and fibers. In a first embodiment of the port liner, the tube-shaped structure has one FRCMC layer forming the sole, solid wall of the structure. Whereas, in a second embodiment, the tube-shaped structure has two FRCMC layers forming inner and outer walls of the structure, respectively, with an intervening space separating the inner and outer walls. The intervening space is sealed at both ends It can be filled with a thermally insulating material, evacuated and held at substantially a vacuum pressure, or filled with a gas. Once the port liner has been formed, it is preferably cast-in-place when the metal head of the IC engine is formed. This entails positioning the port liners within a mold designed to form the metal head in locations corresponding to the intake and exhaust ports of the head. Then, the mold is filled with molten metal to form the head with the port liners being integrally cast therewith.

Fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite internal combustion engine

A pollutant-reducing catalytic converter for an internal combustion engine. The catalytic converter is of ceramic and operates at higher temperatures for increased efficiency. A ceramic foam is used as the substrate for the catalyst. The foam is an open-celled foam and the substrate is deposited on the walls of the cells. Thus, there is a maximum area of catalyst with a minimum amount of catalyst required. The catalytic converter can be placed in the engine compartment adjacent the engine for maximum efficiency without causing temperature problems within the engine compartment.

Ceramic catalytic converter

A heat-resistant, thermally stable, ductile piston ring for an internal combustion engine having a structure comprised at least partially of fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) material. The FRCMC material includes a polymer-derived ceramic resin in its ceramic state and fibers. The ceramic portion of the material for the most part provides the heat-resistance of the FRCMC material, while the fibers produce a desired degree of ductility in the FRCMC material. Filler materials may incorporated into the piston ring to produce the desired degree of hardness and/or coefficient of friction.

Growing community of inventors

Corona, CA, United States of America

Thomas Edward Strasser