| Abstract Scope |
Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) is proposed space propulsion technology capable of high specific impulse and thrust compared to chemical propulsion. In this system, a nuclear reactor core heats hydrogen gas propellant which is expanded through a nozzle at >2800 K to provide thrust. Potential reactor core materials include ultra-high temperature carbides comprised of transition metal cations like Ta, Nb, and Zr. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) provides a way to rapidly create high density products of these carbides from powder, allowing for the exploration of advanced bi- and tri-carbides. TiC is now being explored due in part to its favorable neutronic properties and low mass. (Ti, Zr, Nb)C, (Ti, Ta, Nb)C, and (Ti, Ta, Zr)C tri-carbides were fabricated via SPS, and characterized with density testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and mechanical testing to examine their sintering behavior, homogeneity and thermophysical properties. |