NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Procurement Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812

B -- MATERIALS TEST AND ANALYSIS OF PROPULSION SYSTEM MATERIALS SOL 1-9-EH-C4881 DUE 010300 POC Janice M. Stewart, Contract Specialist, Phone (256) 544-6093, Fax (256) 544-9080, Email janice.stewart@msfc.nasa.gov -- Michael R. Sosebee, Contracting Officer, Phone (256) 544-0415, Fax (256) 544-8641, Email michael.sosebee@msfc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?gr=D&;pin=62#1-9-EH-C4 881. E-MAIL: Janice M. Stewart, janice.stewart@msfc.nasa.gov. NASA/MSFC plans to issue a Request for Offer (RFO). NASA/MSFC intends to purchase the items from Southern Research Institute (SRI) for the testing and analysis of propulsion system materials to include the following: A. GENERAL The Contractor shall furnish the necessary management, personnel, equipment and materials, not otherwise furnished by the Government, to provide testing and analysis services for materials of interest to Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). These include Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) carbon phenolic materials, graphite phenolic materials, prototype or experimental composites, advanced materials and composites that are candidates for application in solid, liquid and hybrid rocket motor systems. These also include ceramic matrix composites and carbon-carbon for both propulsion and structural applications. The Marshall Space Flight Center, Materials, Processes & Manufacturing Department (M, P & M) will use this data to investigate material constituent variation effects, process variable effects, and environmental effects on the thermal and mechanical properties and performance of these materials. The services to be provided by the Contractor shall consist of characterization test plan definition, material property determination, data evaluation and engineering analyses, nondestructive evaluation, environmental conditioning, failure mode determination, microstructure evaluation, and process development and assessment. As the primary use for much of the data to be generated under this Statement of Work will be materials properties data input for thermal, structural and thermostructural analytical models, laboratory test data for any part of this work, when requested by MSFC, shall be submitted by the Contractor in a computer media with format compatible with state-of-the art analytical codes and material properties databases. B. TESTING AND ANALYSIS All tests and analyses are to be conducted according to industry standard procedures which shall be approved by MSFC prior to use. This Statement of work is not limited to the state-of-the art testing techniques and capabilities listed below. Additional testing techniques may be substituted as the technology expands to provide improved understanding and predictive capability for material response and performance, at the request of and/or with the approval of MSFC. These properties will be measured under conditions designed to simulate the conditions in application including temperatures up to 55000F and oxidizing environments up to temperatures in excess of 30000F. 1. Nondestructive Evaluation Utilization of various techniques shall be required for (1) mapping of anomalous areas, (2) assessment of test material uniformity, (3) verification of ply alignment, (4) identification of defects for determination of subsequent effects on material properties, and (5) characterization of density variation attributable to redeposition effects of pyrolysis gases from thermal decomposition of carbon phenolic materials. Techniques shall include ultrasonics, ultrasonic spectroscopy, collimated radiography, computed tomography and electrical techniques including eddy current. 2. Environmental Conditioning A determination of the relationship among material permeability as a function of temperature, volatile content as measured using standard tag end acceptance methods, and total volatile/moisture level and the effects of these variables on the critical properties of resinous composite materials will be required. The properties are necessary to provide input data to thermostructural analyses for verification of component structural integrity, safety margin predictions, and reliability assessment. Evaluation of the conditions encountered between fabrication and launch will be required to establish realistic and worst case conditions. Specimens shall be tested at various moisture levels to develop functional relationships among mechanical, thermal, and physical properties with moisture level and permeability at selected critical temperature ranges, which will require exposing specimens to dry and moist environments for certain periods of time. To ensure that the state of cure of the phenolic resin is not altered by the conditioning process, results of prior studies which established optimum conditioning environments will be incorporated. Further, the diffusion coefficients, correlation of experimentally determined values with classical Fickian diffusion, and volatile off-gas analysis will be required. The mechanical, thermal, and physical properties to be determined are included in those detailed in the following section. The Contractor shall have the necessary equipment to adequately dry and moisture condition the test materials at various temperatures and humidity levels, and the equipment needed to perform volatile off-gas analysis. As it may prove desirable to prevent or reduce the rate of moisture diffusion into nozzle materials, the investigation of moisture barrkers may be required, including a survey of available coating materials, application methodology, effectiveness of the coating to prevent or retard moisture diffusion over short and long terms, and the effect of the coating on the ablative composite material with respect to composition, chemical structure changes, depth of penetration, and assessment of potential influence on performance. Having explored conditions from fabrication to launch, an evaluation of an appropriate time to apply such a coating may be required. Recommendations shall be made on the desirability of coatings use (advantages vs. disadvantages), optimum coatings and requirements for further testing and evaluation. 3. Material Characterization Extensive characterization of the test materials through determination of physical mechanical and thermal properties shall be required, including the determination of standard properties used in thermostructural analyses and constitutive relationships (e.g. tensile strength and modulus, shear strength, assessment (e.g. restrained thermal growth, off-gas analysis, permeability, etc.). These tests will be conducted over a broad temperature range encompassing that to which the materials would be exposed during normal operation of a rocket motor. A broad range of loading rates and cyclic loading and fatigue profiles in conjunction with the spectrum of heating rates shall also be required. Materials characterization shall be required to (a) verify vendor and contractor-supplied data, (b) develop properties on alternate material systems, (c) evaluate existing test methods, (d) develop and qualify new test methods for material acceptance criteria, (e) assess material constituent variations influences and process variable effects on cured part properties, and (f) determine the influence of volatile/moisture level and permeability on properties. Additional testing will be required to develop a statistically significant data base on properties needed for (a) constitutive material relationships for thermostructural models, (b) high temperature and high heating rate effects, and (c) alternate material system critical properties. The following tests, as a minimum, will be required over the temperature range from ambient to 50000F (as applicable). The heating rates shall be equivalent to those utilized in design level data base generation for RSRM and including heating rates for tests currently within the MSFC Solid Propulsion Integrity Program Exploratory Test Method effort. In all cases where a minimum thermal gradient is required to establish a particular property at a specific temperature, the maximum thermal gradient allowed within the test specimen shall be 1150F, except high rateTGA in which a 1250F variation is acceptable. Mechanical Testing: Physical Testing: Permeability: -Tension -Thermal Properties -Warp -Warp -Coefficient of T Exp. -Fill -Fill -TGA -Across-Ply -Across-Ply -Powders -As a Function of Ten Strain -Hoop -Non-powders -As a Function of Comp -Creep -Up to 1000F/min. Heating Rate -450 (WF) -DSC Density: -Circumferential Coupon -Off-gas Analysis -Bulk -Compression -Karl Fischer VCA -Apparent -Warp -Thermal Conductivity -Fill -Restrained Porosity: -Across-Ply -Unstrained -Mercury Porosimetry -450 (WF) -Heat of Reaction -Helium Pycnometry -Hoop -DTAnalysis Method -Circumferential Coupon -Hot Wire Method Microscopy: -Creep -Thermal Diffusivity -Scanning Electron -Shear -Gas Permeability -Optical -Interlaminar (WF) -Emissivity -EDX Analysis -Double Notch -Vented Bomb -Transmission Electron -Rumanian -DMA -Torsion -Diffusion Electrical Properties: -In-Plane -Analog Testing -Resistivity -450 Torsion -Dielectric Properties -450 Compression -Rumanian -Saddle -Rail -torsion -Flexure Strength -Restrained Thermal Growth -Plylift -Biaxial Torsion The Contractor shall provide measurement and interpretation of material effective porosity. This "property" is critical to the classical thermostructural analyses approach for the prediction of internal pore pressure. 4. Failure Mode Determination Failure analysis is necessary to determine causes of failure and thereby assess the acceptability of experimental data from material coupon tests and component hardware tests. Material failure modes are dependent upon internal defects, material and processing variables, and thermostructural loads. Failure analysis information, including microscopy, shall be utilized in the above areas for (a) correlation of pre-test NDE for determination of the effects of defects on the mechanical property, (b) development of failure criteria for use in thermostructural models. Estimates shall be required for likelihood of failure and mechanical capabilities of materials with similar characteristics and processing histories. Component hardware failure analysis will include identification of material type, process history, and factors contributing to the failure as well as the specific failure mode. Predictions of service operating conditions shall be required for comparison with experimental test conditions and results. 5. Data Analysis and Correlation Experimental results will be analyzed and correlations developed in accordance with the objectives of the specific test series. Various detailed areas of investigation in this Statement of Work will require significant post test data analysis to derive trends and identify primary variable effects on mechanical, thermal, and physical properties. Data will be organized and presented to demonstrate existing cause-effect relationships and support conclusions. Relevant data within the literature or available from other test programs shall be considered for comparison, as applicable. Upon conclusion of data analysis and correlation, recommendations shall be made for additional testing or materials/fabrication conditions required to address open issues or areas of concern. 6. Process Development and Analysis This task involves testing and analysis to investigate the effects of material characteristics and processing parameters on composite materials. There are two distinct, yet dependent variable sets to be evaluated: prepreg material characteristics and processing procedures. In the materials area, the influences of resin and filler contents, volatile content, and resin advancement on final properties are of interest. Processing concerns are primarily associated with tape-wrap parameters and cure cycle time temperature/pressure profile definition. A significant portion of the work required for this task will involve characterization of tape-wrap variables and cure cycle parameters and subsequent correlation with mechanical, thermal, and physical properties. Such characterization will also include differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and off-gas analysis. These techniques will enable assessment of degree of cure, and thermodynamic, mechanical, and theological parameters necessary to improve the understanding of the role of specific processing steps in the overall curing mechanism. Studies and analyses in this task will be focused on the evaluation and refinement of current processing techniques, and the development of advanced manufacturing methods and materials requirements. Recommendations shall be made to modify materials specifications or processing procedures, or for additional testing as required to improve the performance of the ablative composite materials. Recent events and evaluation of nozzle materials in the RSRM program have emphasized the importance of internal pressure in understanding and predicting performance. It is apparent that failure modes such as pocketing, plylift and sub-char ply separations or microdelaminations are not understood and therefore cannot be predicted. This inability to predict material performance or to screen materials which may have a greater propensity to exhibit such failures reduces the safety and reliability of existing hardware and jeopardizes development efforts on new programs. One-dimensional heating analog tests have exhibited encouraging results in advancing the understanding of nozzle material failure modes. These tests include resistance-heated element and high-power laser systems. Other corollary tests to screen materials or serve as acceptance tests are room temperature fill permeability, elevated temperature fill permeability tests conducted with the specimen under across-ply compression and tension, and elevated temperature tensile tests. Tests shall be performed on carbon phenolic materials that span a broad range of characteristic properties. The effects of ply angle rotation on material performance in the analog test will be determined. Correlations with the various permeability tests (RT Fill, ET Fill (AP Compressions and tension) will be developed to yield a more complete understanding of material behavior and property interrelationships. Emphasis will be given to the development of an appropriate acceptance test which is to be used to screen existing and future carbon phenolic materials for flight. The analog test method may also be used to determine the propensity of cracks in nozzle materials to propagate. Additional application of this test method includes development of an experimental methodology to directly measure internal pore pressure using various pressure transducers and generation of thermal data, comparing responses of various thermocouples and thermal probes, for evaluation of thermal gradients in nozzle materials and quantified of thermal response lag in such instrumentation. In the development of new tests and/or generation of data using the more standard tests, consideration shall be given to the data input requirements for thermostructural analyses. Recommendations for data requirements shall be sought from experts in thermostructural analysis who are knowledgeable of both pore pressure code development and of permeability influences on material responses. C. PROGRESS REVIEWS, TECHNICAL INTERCHANGES AND PROGRAM PLANNING The Contractor shall participate in various progress reviews, technical interchanges, and program planning discussions, held principally at MSFC, but on occasion a the Contractor's facility or other locations, as required to support the objectives of the specific session. A quarterly status on each individual project shall be submitted to M, P, & M. This status shall summarize the funded amount, and budget remaining in each project, and estimated cost to completion. The Contractor shall serve as the materials properties and testing expert in interchanges and interfaces with MSFC and other contractors, as invited by or approved by MSFC, who are involved with those programs. The Contractor shall have the responsibility of interpreting experimental results and of fully understanding the significance of the properties with respect to their use in state-of-the-art thermal, structural, and thermostructural analytical models. This requirement is based upon the fact that frequent interfaces with industry analysts will be required to enable incorporation of data generated under this Statement of Work into analytical codes. To facilitate program planning and definition of various test matrices, the Contractor shall provide recommendations for test methods, test conditions, and replications required to obtain a particular property, simulate a material event or response, or characterize a material system. These recommendations are to be substantiated with prior experience with such test methods and conditions knowledge of material responses and test methods at the expert level. The Contractor shall possess a thorough knowledge of similar or related efforts being conducted for other Government agencies and/or private industry to assist in the development of complementary test programs which would attempt to minimize duplication of effort. This sharing of data has been successfully accomplished under previous programs of this nature among NASA, Air Force, and Navy programs benefiting both the Government and numerous private industry organizations through cost reductions. In the present environment of industry and Government-wide budget reductions, this knowledge of related efforts and ability to structure complementary programs is most important. D. REPORTING The Contractor shall submit a report at the completion of each work request made under this contract. The report shall serve as a self-contained summary including the issue addressed by the testing or objective; full description of the test material necessary pedigree and fabrication details; and identification of test conducted; and discussion of test result(s) and significance; conclusions and recommendations (as appropriate). An example table of contents shall include, but not be limited to the areas listed below: 1.0 Introduction/Objective 2.0 Material 2.1 Material Pedigree and Fabrication 2.2 Test Matrix 2.3 Cutting Plans 2.4 Test Specimen Preparation and conditioning 2.5 Inspection Methods 3.0 Test Procedure and Apparatus 4.0 Experimental Results and Discussion 5.0 Comparison to Other Material Property Data or Prior Data 6.0 Summary 7.0 Conclusions 8.0 Recommendations 9.0 References This recommendation is made pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 which implements 10 U.S. C 2304 (c)(1) for acquisition of supplies or services from only one source and no other supplies or serviceswill satisfy agency requirement. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See Internet Note "B". Interested firms have 15 days from the publication of this synopsis to submit in writing to the identified point of contact, their qualifications/capabilities. Such qualifications/capabilities will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government to not compete this proposed effort on a full and open competitive basis, based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Firm date for receipt of offers will be stated in the RFO. All qualified responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency. Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasanote.html Posted 12/15/99 (D-SN408851). (0349)

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