While taking a break

[BLR]

From internet derpiness, we've been busy maturing a technology. As there are a bunch of coppers/soldiers/marines here, I though you guys would be a bit interested:

http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y491/feral45/Mobile%20Uploads/20140717_110625_zps1hk5b0oy.jpg (http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/feral45/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140717_110625_zps1hk5b0oy.jpg.html)

http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y491/feral45/Mobile%20Uploads/20140717_110655_zpszcql2gkx.jpg (http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/feral45/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140717_110655_zpszcql2gkx.jpg.html)

http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y491/feral45/Mobile%20Uploads/20140717_110638_zpsfaw8b8tz.jpg (http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/feral45/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140717_110638_zpsfaw8b8tz.jpg.html)

We've just filed the second patent on this - a process to convert carbon based raw materials in any form factor into silcon or born carbide. Those carbides are most often used in ballistic armor, but we are hoping to increase functionality to include ultra light weight blast armor. There are a few modes of defeating ballistic projectiles, and the most common for high velocity (~ 3k fps), the one most relied on is abrasion of the projectile through microfracture of the armor itself (that is how ceramic plates work). Obviously, the effectiveness of ceramic armor is dependent on fracture resistance, which is a characteristic of ceramics in general. So long story short, we are infusing the stuff seen above (those are SiC) with silanes to convert to SiC making a bonded SiC-SiC composite which we hope will displace carbon-carbon composites in many applications.

More and better pictures to follow shortly!

Bill

[MDS]

Cool science is cool!

Is it just me, or does it look like it would make good tinder? Does it take a spark pretty well? ;)

Looking forward to more info!

[BLR]

Cool science is cool!

Is it just me, or does it look like it would make good tinder? Does it take a spark pretty well? ;)

Looking forward to more info!

You'd think so by looking at it, but if you took a torch to it, it would just glow white as long as you held to torch too it. SiC passivates in the presence of oxygen to form a very stable oxide.

[MDS]

You'd think so by looking at it, but if you took a torch to it, it would just glow white as long as you held to torch too it. SiC passivates in the presence of oxygen to form a very stable oxide.

Just at high heat, or does a passive layer form spontaneously during manufacture? Sorry if it's a dumb question, we're at the extreme limits of my ability to feign the ability to speculate. ;)

[RoyGBiv]

You'd think so by looking at it, but if you took a torch to it, it would just glow white as long as you held to torch too it. SiC passivates in the presence of oxygen to form a very stable oxide.

Does it transfer/conduct heat? If not, might make a good replacement for ablative tiles on the space shuttle (or whatever comes next) assuming it performs at high enough temps.

[BLR]

Does it transfer/conduct heat? If not, might make a good replacement for ablative tiles on the space shuttle (or whatever comes next) assuming it performs at high enough temps.

Thermal conductivity, like electrical conductivity, can be manipulated from nearly metallically conductive to nearly insulating. That's why SiC is so heavily researched.

MDS - the oxides form naturally even at room temp, but they form a whole lot faster at higher temps.

Making a tile to shoot this afternoon! YAY!!!

[LOKNLOD]

Fascinating, Bill. Thanks for sharing.

[gtmtnbiker98]

Just when I thought that I couldn't be any dumber, up comes this thread. Thanks!!

[Totem Polar]

http://a1.s6img.com/cdn/0009/p/2016747_10536637_lz.jpg

[klewis]

You can change any form of carbon into that, and control its conductivity of heat and electricity in the process?!?!? WOW.

[hufnagel]

awesome material for wrapping headers in maybe? :)
how about driver's suits?

[Haraise]

awesome material for wrapping headers in maybe? :)
how about driver's suits?

Headers, I can't see. Nearly an insulator might not cut it.

Driver's suits, maybe. They're not really too much risk for punctures, especially high velocity ones. Karting people or motorcycle riders might be a bit more, but that's more slow speed impact and abrasion resistance. Non-newtonian products seem to be at the head for impact right now:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VDeJ7rLUYU

[JAD]

I do gee whiz stuff all day long, and that right there is pretty cool.

[Tamara]

SiC passivates in the presence of oxygen...

You know I love it when you talk science to me. :D

[BLR]

You know I love it when you talk science to me. :D
Oh, I can do better - the electrical conductivity, or more correctly band gap, varies with the polytype of carbide.

[MDS]

Oh, I can do better - the electrical conductivity, or more correctly band gap, varies with the polytype of carbide.

2466

[Lon]

I wish I understood sciencey stuff. I always feel like an idiot reading these type of posts. I'll just have your neighbor interpret for me tomorrow at work.

[BLR]

I wish I understood sciencey stuff. I always feel like an idiot reading these type of posts. I'll just have your neighbor interpret for me tomorrow at work.

Those are the parents neighbors. I'm only there all the time because I'd starve if I wasn't. And mom cooks good. And I'm basically helpless.

[Al T.]

You know I love it when you talk science to me.

Get a room you two!

:D

[LOKNLOD]

Been to school, and I speak the language
But nanotubes still need explaining
All I really want to understand is
When you talk nerdy to me