Development of Cementing Systems and Composites Based on Inorganic Gel- to-Crystal Transitions for Military Applications; Conference paper

摘要

Composite materials (fiberglass, carbon-fiber composites) are considered to be the Army's greatest opportunity to develop a new generation of lighter, stronger materials that will be the basis of new shelters, vehicles and weaponry. While a great deal of effort has gone into examining and refining the reinforcing material (metal, carbon and glass fibers) very little attention has been paid to the cement that will be employed in bonding the elements together. Largely it is assumed that organic resins will be the solution to the bonding problem and often the drawbacks related to combustibility, catastrophic loss of strength at elevated temperatures, embrittlement due to depolymerization, degradation due to exposure to sunlight or ozone are largely ignored. The Army cannot effectively reinforce buildings or develop structural components for vehicles or weapons with materials that will melt, burn and generate toxic gases if the materials going into the structure can be set afire during an attack. In order for the Army to use composites, it will be necessary to produce durable, heat-resistant and fireproof composites made with inorganic cements. Investigators have shown that the key to developing inorganic cements lies in learning to tailor the microstructure to provide the highest strength and the best bonding possible.