This Phase I effort investigates the development of a low-cost manufacturing process to package metal coated fibers to a high bulk density, avoiding clumping and ensuring effective dissemination into monofilaments. We will rely on our extensive experience in obscurant materials and packaging to further improve the significant cost reductions achieved with our DensePakTM manufacturing process. We will also rely on our relationships within the industry to evaluate the best material candidates that will meet the economic and technical objectives. The specific areas of focus for the six month period of Phase 1 will be on developing techniques that will minimize filament to filament adhesion, e.g. galvanic corrosion, cold welding, or other means of metallic coating degradation or entanglement of nickel-coated fibers during packaging and prolonged storage. We will also utilize our experience to modify our DensePak technology in order to develop methods to achieve packing densities for metal coated fibers that meet or exceed 50% of the theoretical maximum bulk density. We will incorporate other methods to achieve proper alignment and disentanglement of the candidate fibers in order to maintain high packing density and good dissemination quality. We will also include the evaluation of the effects related to using fibers with surface finishes, such as silane, which is expected to contribute to high bulk density and good dissemination. In addition to the packaging of one-cm length metal coated fibers in a two-dimensional array in a canister, the packaging of model wafers having a one-cm thickness may also be studied. Subsequently, a Phase I Option will be undertaken whereby we will investigate the likelihood and severity of Cu/CF filament adhesion via cold welding or other mechanisms. As a result, we will propose techniques to minimize or eliminate these undesirable effects during cutting and packaging. Benefits of the successful completion of our efforts will be several fold. Achieving packaging of metal coated fibers at high packing density with good dissemination and minimal clumping will insure that the theoretical extinction benefits of these types of materials will be realized in use. Also, high packing densities will minimize the volume needed to store these materials on a weaponized platform. This will also lead to reduced cost as the packaging components will be minimized as well. This could also result in meeting additional DOD needs. Commercially, the metal coated fibers under consideration in this program are used in many different areas. Typical applications for these cut metal coated fibers range from EMI shielding to conductive paints to specialized gasketing. In all these applications, it is imperative to achieve good filament separation and maintain good surface conductivity in order to achieve desired properties. The improvements and technologies coming out of this program will lead to improved materials for these applications as well.
