Spray Deposition of Aerogels as Thermal Barriers Navy STTR FY2005 Sol No.: Navy STTR FY2005 Topic No.: N05-T015 Topic Title: Spray Deposition of Aerogels as Thermal Barriers Proposal No.: N054-015-0270 Firm: Physical Sciences Inc. 20 New England Business Center Andover, Massachusetts 01810-1077 Contact: Aron Newman Phone: (978) 689-0003 Web Site: http://www.psicorp.com Abstract: Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) and our collaborators (Southern Research Institute, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and two aerospace contractors) will design, develop, and experimentally evaluate the performance of a cost-effective spray process for applying aerogels as thermal barriers for aluminum and steel alloys used in hypersonic missiles and projectiles. The aerogel is part of a thermal protection system (TPS) that provides superior ability to insulate in addition to its physical robustness to survive 40 kG acceleration, heating rates of 1000�C/sec, and hypersonic aerodynamic conditions. In the Phase I program we will design and develop insulation structures that demonstrate the viability to meet design requirements that exceed the performance of current TPS designs. We will measure thermal and thermal-mechanical properties of proposed designs to demonstrate the feasibility of approach and justify continuation into the Phase II effort. Benefits: Thermal protection coatings for high temperature components extend component life, especially coupled with a barrier to oxidizing. Appropriate applications for this technology include aircraft engine turbo machinery, power generation systems, chemical processing facilities, rocket nozzle/throat components, and high temperature flow control valves. Return