Innovative, Low-CTE, Lightweight Structures with Higher Strength

A series of lightweight (density below 2.0 gm/cm3) composites has been manufactured that have controllable properties. The core composite has been improved to provide higher strength (similar to aluminum), extremely low density, receptivity to exterior coatings, and highly designable properties. The composite is made in days, is machinable and formable, can be joined/threaded, can be exposed to various environments (temperature, radiation), and is easily made into many parts. Lightweight mirrors for space and IR applications are extremely important. The goal of this work was to create lightweight multifunctional composites for replacement of titanium, beryllium, Invar, aluminum, rubber, and graphite epoxy for structural, mirror, and non-structural components. The key characteristics of this tailorable composite are low density, high stiffness (up to 25 MSI modulus), variable/low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) (2 to 7 ppm/°C), high temperature refractory materials and variable thermal conductivity. The composites are easily made (time to completion of 7 to 10 days), joinable, threadable, machinable to 80 mils, durable to resist FOD (foreign object damage), ductile enough to behave like a metal, and relatively low in cost.