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A -- ROBUST FIBER COATINGS II SOL PRDA No. 99-10-MLK DUE 060899 POC Contact Connie Lemback, Contract Negotiator, (937) 255-5830, or Philip R. Nelson, Contracting Officer, (937) 255-5830 WEB: Click here to view the entire PRDA Announcement, http://www.wrs.afrl.af.mil/contract/opptnty1.htm. Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials & Manufacturing Directorate/Metals, Ceramics & NDE Division (AFRL/ MLL) solicits research proposals for Robust Fiber Coatings II. The objective is development and demonstration of a Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) fiber-matrix interface that is effective for 1000 hours between room temperature and at least 1200C in oxidizing atmospheres typical for a turbine engine. Development should address necessary improvements to the fiber coating phase/phases, microstructure, and thickness, and processing issues associated with fiber coating and matrix formation. It is anticipated that a large fraction of the effort might be devoted to development of fiber coatings of suitable quality and quantity for incorporation in a matrix. Final demonstration should be done on a CMC with a size, fiber architecture, and fiber volume fraction that is representative for a CMC application. However, an application does not need to be demonstrated, only fiber-matrix interface demonstration is necessary. Final demonstration shall include room temperature mechanical properties and distributed damage mechanisms during strain to failure under monotonic loading and fatigue that are comparable to high performance C and BN interface based CMCs. These mechanical properties and distributed damage mechanisms shall also be demonstrated between room temperature and 1200C. The demonstrations should be conducted over times (up to 1000 hours) and temperatures (up to 1200C) that establish that the fiber or matrix, and not the fiber-matrix interface, is performance limiting. However, if the fiber or matrix is performance limiting beneath 1200C, demonstration to the maximum temperature capability of the fiber or matrix and subsequent characterization or other demonstration that shows presence of a functional fiber-matrix interface is also satisfactory. Evidence for effective interface performance to 1400C should also be considered. Interested offerors may view and/or download the full PRDA solicitation by accessing the AFRL Wright Research Site Contracting homepage at http://www.wrs.afrl.af.mil/contract/. Direct questions to the Contracting point of contact identified in the announcement. Posted 04/19/99 (W-SN321641). (0109)

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