Carbon-bonded carbon fiber insulation for radioisotope space power systems
A carbon-bonded carbon fiber (CBCF) insulation developed for a radioisotope heat source is made from chopped rayon fiber about 10..mu..m long, which is carbonized and bonded with phenolic resin particles. The CBCF is an excellent lightweight insulating material with a nominal density of 0.2 Mg/m/sup 3/ and a thermal conductivity of 0.24 W/(m-K) in vacuum at 2000/sup 0/C. (Several attributes that make CBCF particularly suitable for the heat source application have been identified.) These include light weight, low thermal conductivity, chemical compatibility, and hightemperature capabilities. The mechanical strength of CBCF insulation is satisfactory for the application. The basic fabrication technique was refined to eliminate undesirable large pores and cracks often present in materials fabricated by earlier techniques. Also, processing was scaled up to increase the fabrication rate by a factor of 10. The specific properties of the CBCF were tailored by adjusting material and processing variables to obtain the desired results.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge, TN
- OSTI ID:
- 6091431
- Journal Information:
- Am. Ceram. Soc. Bull.; (United States), Vol. 64, Issue 5
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Carbon-bonded carbon fiber insulation for radioisotope space power systems
EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVE FIBERS TO REPLACE NARC-RAYON FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CBCF
Related Subjects
CARBON FIBERS
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
FABRICATION
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
THERMAL INSULATION
SPACE VEHICLES
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
CLADDING
CHEMICAL BONDS
PHENOLS
PLUTONIUM 238
RAYON
RESINS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AROMATICS
CARBOHYDRATES
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FIBERS
HEAT SOURCES
HEAVY NUCLEI
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
POLYMERS
POLYSACCHARIDES
RADIOISOTOPES
SACCHARIDES
SURFACE COATING
SYNTHESIS
VEHICLES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
300303* - Thermoelectric Generators- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries