Invention Reference Number
Silicon nitride fiber is a critical material mainly used in the aerospace industry but has many applications. This fiber is prized for its properties, as it is transparent to electromagnetic radiation but allows signals to go through it. It is commonly used in protection domes for government antennae or planes to shield sensitive electronics from damage. But it is only produced as a short fiber, and outside the U.S. This technology provides for production of long continuous silicon nitride fiber and eliminates many of the manufacturing challenges of producing silicon nitride fibers.
Description
Silicon nitride fiber is produced outside the U.S. in very short strands, about 1 mm long. One of the ways it is produced is by using a polymer, polysilazane, that is difficult to use as it reacts with oxygen and moisture in the air and is flammable. Necessary precautions make it expensive and time-consuming. This technology avoids all the sensitivity involved in silicon nitride fiber production, using polymers that are not moisture- and air-sensitive but can be used to create a continuous fiber. This proposes using a polymer precursor to solve the manufacturing issues that require manufacturers to use elaborate inert enclosures, increasing processing costs. With continuous fiber, larger composite parts could be produced. No production of continuous silicon nitride fiber currently exists, and this technology could be used to scale up continuous silicon nitride fiber production and jump-start such an industry in the U.S.
Benefits
- Faster, cheaper process of production
- 80 percent less expensive than current methods
- Allows production of bigger parts for engines and power generators
- Avoids all manufacturing issues of current technology
- Material is lighter than steel, increases efficiency of turbines, engines, reactors and generators
- Contributes to decarbonization with lighter materials
Applications and Industries
- Aerospace
- Generators and energy suppliers
- Gas turbine industry
- Radome manufacturing
- Nuclear reactor cladding
- Heat shield manufacturing
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.
