US Production of Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic-Yielding Preceramic Polymers

The Department of the Air Force seeks to establish the domestic production of ultra-high temperature ceramic (UHTC)-yielding preceramic polymers. UHTCs are used for demanding aerospace applications, including propulsion and aeroshell components.

The scaled production of C/C-UHTCs composites (UHTCMCs) for defense applications requires the manufacturing of UHTC precursors in quantities sufficient to support acquisition programs. This SBIR will establish production of an AFRL-patented UHTC preceramic polymers so that the materials are available, at scale and affordable price point, to the high-temperature composite production community.

This topic is intended for technologies ready to move directly into a Phase II program. As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, no Phase I awards will be made. Offerors must demonstrate completion of Phase I feasibility research and development that is not based upon or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. Offerors must provide detailed documentation in their Direct to Phase II (D2P2) proposal that demonstrates the successful completion of a "Phase I-like" effort. This includes a feasibility study showing expertise in synthesizing and handling air/water-sensitive chemical compounds. Demonstrated experience in scaling chemical synthesis processes from the lab to pilot scale (e.g., 5-50 kg batches) is required. The feasibility study should clearly illustrate past successes in producing high-purity materials and a foundational understanding of the safety protocols necessary for handling the relevant precursors and reagents.

During the Phase II program, the awardee shall: 1) Establish and document a safe, robust, and scalable chemical process for the manufacturing of the AFRL-patented UHTC-bearing preceramic polymers that meets specified purity and production volume targets. 2) Conduct a thorough safety and handling analysis for all reagents, intermediates, and waste products. Production facilities must ensure safety and environmental compliance are permissible. 3) Deliver a 5x 1 kg samples of the UHTC preceramic polymer to AFRL for internal analysis, characterization, and quality verification. The offeror shall show i) for the produced polymer: NMR, elemental analysis, rheology, and ICP/MS of the produced polymer and ii) for the polymer-derived ceramic XRD, TEM/EDS, and SEM analysis, for each lot of material made. The offeror can assume a cost of $6300/kg in raw material cost if reagents, were to be purchased from commercial chemical suppliers, to produce UHTC preceramic polymers. 4) Establish and demonstrate a dedicated production capability yielding at least 50 kg per month (>600 kg per year). 5) Deliver a total of 75 kg of the qualified UHTC preceramic polymer, appropriately packaged, to the Government by the end of the Phase II effort. 6) Provide a comprehensive cost analysis and business plan for UHTC-bearing preceramic polymer production at the target scale of >1000 kg/year a target retail price of <$5000/kg, preferably <$4000/kg, identifying key supply-chain or processing factors to drive down per-kilogram costs.

The awardee will be expected to transition the preceramic polymer production established during Phase II into a viable commercial business unit. This will involve supplying certified preceramic polymers to prime contractors and Tier 1/2 composite manufacturers supporting defense and commercial programs of record. Phase III efforts may include further scaling of chemical operations, qualifying the material across a broader vendor base (for high-speed aeroshells), and establishing long-term supply agreements to support critical national security missions.