New and Improved Rail Material for Electromagnetic Launchers Navy STTR FY2010.A Sol No.: Navy STTR FY2010.A Topic No.: N10A-T025 Topic Title: New and Improved Rail Material for Electromagnetic Launchers Proposal No.: N10A-025-0393 Firm: AMERICAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES CO 3825 Lizette Ln. Glenview, Illinois 60026-1218 Contact: Igor Barsukov Phone: (847) 414-6788 Web Site: http://www.usaenergytech.com/ Abstract: American Energy Technologies Co. (Glenview, IL) will partner with the Manufacturing Research Center at Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA) in order to develop improved rail materials for the Naval electromagnetic railgun application. New rail matrix composites are proposed that will incorporate unique forms of carbon. When compared to existing rail materials (e.g., copper), the anticipated benefits will be reduced abrasion/wear, lighter weight, and minimal corrosion within the saline air environment. The rail surface will possess similar conductivity properties as copper with minimal rail-to-armature arcing. As a side benefit, with carbon being a natural lubricant, the proposed rail material may assist in increasing the launch velocity of an armature for the same input of energy. Benefits: The proposed technological innovation is geared towards solving the short-term issues of high wear of rails in the US Navy's railgun launchers. The wear is due to strong electromagnetic force and velocity effects that erode copper at high temperatures. In the long run, the technology may help solve the issue of corrosion of copper in the saline air environment. Besides the US Navy, a number of other US DOD components may benefit from the proposed material, including protection materials for missile launchers and canisters. In the civilian sector, highly conductive and wear- and temperature-resistant shapes could be used for the benefit of aluminum smelting electrolyzers, continuous graphite purification furnaces, high electrical current switches, applications within power plants and energy distribution facilities, and other industrial and specialty uses. Return