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The Development of Refractory Materials as Gun Barrel Liners

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: N00178-03-C-3034
Agency Tracking Number: N022-0842
Amount: $70,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2002
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
7960 S. Kolb Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85706
United States
DUNS: 147518286
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 James Withers
 CEO
 (520) 574-1980
 jcwithers@mercorp.com
Business Contact
 Raouf Loutfy
Title: President
Phone: (520) 574-1980
Email: rloutfy@mercorp.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

"State-of-the-art gun barrels limit the munition and propellant that can be utilized due to excessive erosion that limits the life and performance capabilities and adversely affects the operating cost and required force levels. In order to increase barrellife, as well as accommodating the use of higher energy and temperature propellants for firing advance projectiles, the refractorness of gun barrels must be substantially enhanced. This program proposes to investigate the use of refractory metal alloysand cermets applied by solid free form fabrication (SFFF) using a plasma transferred arc (PTA) energy source. A variety of refractory alloys and cermets will be produced and screen tested utilizing a vented bomb and heat checking. Forcing cones will beproduced in the most promising compositions and delivered to the Navy which after testing will provide a basis for Phase II optimization, additional forcing cone testing and fabricating barrels for live fire test. Gun barrels with refractory metal alloylings have application in all military branches in all caliber weapons as well as commercial applications requiring reduced thermomechanical erosion."

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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