Morgan Advanced Materials Announces Groundbreaking Brazed Carbon Fiber ‒ Titanium Honeycomb Capability

Carbon fiber and other similar non-metallic engineered materials have exceptional thermal conductivity capabilities, and are able to remain strong at temperatures exceeding 2000°F, far higher than those at which any metals retain their strength. Titanium honeycomb adds greater strength to the carbon fiber and eliminates fracturing issues by transferring forces from impact better than the carbon fiber alone. Both materials are exceedingly lightweight.

In addition, the strength of the braze bond is exceptional, equaling or exceeding the strength of each component material, unlike the reduced strength of adhesive, riveted, or other bonds. The addition of the titanium honeycomb to the carbon fiber allows easy joining of the titanium to other structures through traditional joining techniques.

This material is ideal for aerospace applications, especially on lifting surfaces such as wings or flaps, where strength, low weight and a thin cross-section are important, and the rear sections of engines, where combined high strength and thermal transfer is key. The material has the capability for use in hypersonic crafts, given that such high speeds require great strength and often lead to exceptionally high temperatures on leading edges.

Beyond aerospace applications, engineers from Morgan expect that this new material will be useful wherever light weight, extremely high strength and exceptional thermal capabilities are mission-critical, such as in certain automotive or defense applications.

“We believe that now that this capability has been developed as part of our Ultinex™ brazing solutions offerings, our customers will find uses for it that we haven’t even dreamed of yet,” said Tom Sandin, Product Manager at Morgan Advanced Materials’ Braze Alloys business. “The combination of the thermal capabilities and strength of the carbon fiber, with the impact absorption and joining capabilities of the titanium, all with a high-strength braze bond, mean that the possibilities for this material are exceptional.”

For more information on brazed assemblies, please visit our website or visit the Morgan Advanced Materials booth at AIRTEC 2014