Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, AFC, Phase I
Electromagnetic Protection Coating for Artillery Projectiles
Objective
Develop innovative conformal and ruggedized solutions for integrating electromagnetic protection materials onto extended range artillery rounds.
Description
In order for the Army to advance the development of extended range precision artillery and long-range missiles, while meeting the key need to penetrate adversary defensive capabilities and engage key targets at those extended ranges, the need to develop electromagnetic protection solutions and ways to integrate them onto munitions becomes increasingly critical.
The Army is currently looking for novel solutions of integrating electromagnetic (EM) protection materials onto artillery munitions. The proposed solutions must be capable of surviving typical artillery gun launch loads, should conform to the geometry of artillery projectile, and also be able to perform at elevated skin temperatures caused by aerodynamic heating due to higher velocities commonly required to achieve extended ranges. Ultra-low temperature co-fired ceramic (ULTCC) materials have demonstrated potential as EM materials; however, for artillery these EM materials must be capable of being applied to conformal surfaces and surviving the mechanical shock of gun launch.
Phase I
During the Phase I contract, successful proposers shall conduct research into ULTCC formulations or other EM materials available that can operate in environments up to 650degC. Investigations should include analysis of material’s EM performance by measuring its complex EM properties in the RF in frequency bands, which will be specified by the Government, while being exposed to thermal environment in the range from ambient to 650degC. The goal of this phase is to identify, formulate, and manufacture samples of material options that achieve relatively equal ratio of permittivity to permeability in as wide band of frequencies as possible, while being able to be sintered under 650 degC.
Phase II
Using the data derived from Phase I, in Phase II the proposer shall fabricate material samples in appropriate ASTM shapes for mechanical properties testing. The proposer shall also fabricate material samples successfully sintered onto metal alloy substrates including (Al, Ti, and steel) for lap shear strength and 3-point bend mechanical testing. The mechanical tests shall be performed at ambient as well as elevated temperatures. The last part of this phase shall include fabrication of multi-layer material samples per specifications which will be provided by the Government. These samples shall be tested for EM performance in the same temperature range as specified in Phase I.
Phase III
Phase III selections shall identify large scale production alternatives and fabricate 20 prototypes that can be either iso-statistically laminated and directly sintered, or properly integrated in other successful way onto a nominal projectile form-factor to be identified by the SBIR: Army 20 Topics and Concepts Government. Live fire tests will be conducted, and the prototype integrated with projectile form-factor shall withstand shock loads up to 30,000 G’s.
Phase III selections will develop a cost model of expected large scale production to provide estimates of non-recurring and recurring unit production costs. Phase III selections might have adequate support from an Army prime or industry transition partner identified during earlier phases of the program. The proposer shall work with this partner (TBD) to fully develop, integrate, and test the performance and survivability characteristics of the design for integration onto the vendor’s target platform.
Submission Information
For more information, and to submit your full proposal package, visit the DSIP Portal.
SBIR|STTR Help Desk: usarmy.sbirsttr@army.mil
References:
- M. A. Girardi, K. A. Peterson, P. T. Vianco,”LTCC Thick Film Process Characterization”. Technical Report: SAND2016-4120J, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM.;
- T. Tick,” Fabrication of Advanced LTCC Structures for Microwave Devices”. Faculty of Technology, Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of Oulu, Finland, Acta Univ. Oul. C 338, 2009.;
- M. Nelo, T. Vahera, T. Siponkosi, J. Juuti, H. Jantunen, “Ultra-low Permittivity ULTCC Composite Materials”, Applied Physics Letters 118, 142901(2021), April 05, 2021.;
- “Ceramic to Metal Bonding”, S-Bond Technologies, LLC., www.s-bond.com., 03/22/2013.;
- Rick Moore, “Electromagnetic Composites Handbook, 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill, March 25, 2016.;
- S. Hao, D. Zhou, L. Pang, etc. “Ultra-low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics With Adjustable Microwave Dielectric Properties in the Na2O-Bi2O3-MoO3 ternary system: A Comprehensive Study”, Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 2022, Article 10, pg2008-2016.;
- D. Zhou, L. Pang, Z. Qi, B. Jin, X. Yao, “Novel Ultra-low Temperature Co-fired Microwave Dielectric Ceramic at 400 Degrees And Its Chemical Compatibility With Base Metal”, Scientific Reports, 2014., Article.4, pg. 5980.
Objective
Develop innovative conformal and ruggedized solutions for integrating electromagnetic protection materials onto extended range artillery rounds.
Description
In order for the Army to advance the development of extended range precision artillery and long-range missiles, while meeting the key need to penetrate adversary defensive capabilities and engage key targets at those extended ranges, the need to develop electromagnetic protection solutions and ways to integrate them onto munitions becomes increasingly critical.
The Army is currently looking for novel solutions of integrating electromagnetic (EM) protection materials onto artillery munitions. The proposed solutions must be capable of surviving typical artillery gun launch loads, should conform to the geometry of artillery projectile, and also be able to perform at elevated skin temperatures caused by aerodynamic heating due to higher velocities commonly required to achieve extended ranges. Ultra-low temperature co-fired ceramic (ULTCC) materials have demonstrated potential as EM materials; however, for artillery these EM materials must be capable of being applied to conformal surfaces and surviving the mechanical shock of gun launch.
Phase I
During the Phase I contract, successful proposers shall conduct research into ULTCC formulations or other EM materials available that can operate in environments up to 650degC. Investigations should include analysis of material’s EM performance by measuring its complex EM properties in the RF in frequency bands, which will be specified by the Government, while being exposed to thermal environment in the range from ambient to 650degC. The goal of this phase is to identify, formulate, and manufacture samples of material options that achieve relatively equal ratio of permittivity to permeability in as wide band of frequencies as possible, while being able to be sintered under 650 degC.
Phase II
Using the data derived from Phase I, in Phase II the proposer shall fabricate material samples in appropriate ASTM shapes for mechanical properties testing. The proposer shall also fabricate material samples successfully sintered onto metal alloy substrates including (Al, Ti, and steel) for lap shear strength and 3-point bend mechanical testing. The mechanical tests shall be performed at ambient as well as elevated temperatures. The last part of this phase shall include fabrication of multi-layer material samples per specifications which will be provided by the Government. These samples shall be tested for EM performance in the same temperature range as specified in Phase I.
Phase III
Phase III selections shall identify large scale production alternatives and fabricate 20 prototypes that can be either iso-statistically laminated and directly sintered, or properly integrated in other successful way onto a nominal projectile form-factor to be identified by the SBIR: Army 20 Topics and Concepts Government. Live fire tests will be conducted, and the prototype integrated with projectile form-factor shall withstand shock loads up to 30,000 G’s.
Phase III selections will develop a cost model of expected large scale production to provide estimates of non-recurring and recurring unit production costs. Phase III selections might have adequate support from an Army prime or industry transition partner identified during earlier phases of the program. The proposer shall work with this partner (TBD) to fully develop, integrate, and test the performance and survivability characteristics of the design for integration onto the vendor’s target platform.
Submission Information
For more information, and to submit your full proposal package, visit the DSIP Portal.
SBIR|STTR Help Desk: usarmy.sbirsttr@army.mil
References:
- M. A. Girardi, K. A. Peterson, P. T. Vianco,”LTCC Thick Film Process Characterization”. Technical Report: SAND2016-4120J, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM.;
- T. Tick,” Fabrication of Advanced LTCC Structures for Microwave Devices”. Faculty of Technology, Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of Oulu, Finland, Acta Univ. Oul. C 338, 2009.;
- M. Nelo, T. Vahera, T. Siponkosi, J. Juuti, H. Jantunen, “Ultra-low Permittivity ULTCC Composite Materials”, Applied Physics Letters 118, 142901(2021), April 05, 2021.;
- “Ceramic to Metal Bonding”, S-Bond Technologies, LLC., www.s-bond.com., 03/22/2013.;
- Rick Moore, “Electromagnetic Composites Handbook, 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill, March 25, 2016.;
- S. Hao, D. Zhou, L. Pang, etc. “Ultra-low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics With Adjustable Microwave Dielectric Properties in the Na2O-Bi2O3-MoO3 ternary system: A Comprehensive Study”, Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 2022, Article 10, pg2008-2016.;
- D. Zhou, L. Pang, Z. Qi, B. Jin, X. Yao, “Novel Ultra-low Temperature Co-fired Microwave Dielectric Ceramic at 400 Degrees And Its Chemical Compatibility With Base Metal”, Scientific Reports, 2014., Article.4, pg. 5980.