Hybrid Ceramic Powder Processing System

September 27, 2019

• Attachment 1 has been added. The document contains questions and answers related to the Challenge.

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This Challenge Notice is issued under the Innovative Solutions Canada Program (ISC) Call for Proposals 002 (EN578-170003/C). For general ISC information, Bidders can visit the ISC website.

Please refer to the Solicitation Documents which contain the process for submitting a proposal.

Steps to apply:

Step 1: read this challenge

Step 2: read the Call for Proposals

Step 3: propose your solution here

CHALLENGE TITLE: Hybrid Ceramic Powder Processing System

CHALLENGE SPONSOR: National Research Council of Canada (NRC)

Funding Mechanism: Contract

MAXIMUM CONTRACT VALUE:

Multiple contracts could result from this Challenge.

The maximum funding available for any Phase 1 Contract resulting from this Challenge is $150,000.00 CAD (plus tax) including shipping, travel and living expenses, as applicable, for up to 6 months.

The maximum funding available for any Phase 2 Contract resulting from this Challenge is $1,000,000.00 CAD (plus tax) including shipping, travel and living expenses, as applicable, for up to 24 months. Only eligible businesses that have completed Phase 1 could be considered for Phase 2.

This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to contract for the total approximate funding.

TRAVEL:  

For Phase 1 it is anticipated that two (2) meetings will require the successful bidder(s) to travel to the location identified below:

Kick-off meeting

Edmonton, AB

Final Review Meeting

Edmonton, AB

All other communication can take place by telephone.

Problem Summary Statement

The National Research Council (NRC) is seeking a ceramic powder processing solution that will upgrade raw ceramic powder into a uniformly coated, sinterable, hybrid carbon nanotube ceramic powder with > 1 kg / h production rates, in order for NRC to do further research into possible applications for this new stronger composite material such as light-weight armours.

Problem Statement

Carbon nanotubes have great potential for mechanical reinforcement in composite materials, including ceramic composites. However, bundling of the carbon nanotubes has prevented this potential from being realized. To overcome these bundling issues, the carbon nanotubes are being deposited by chemical vapour deposition methods onto ceramic powders, which have been stained with the catalyst. The resulting hybrid powders can then be sintered into the composite, in other words, compacted and bonded at high temperature and pressure into a solid plate. The nanotubes are deposited in an unbundled state on the ceramic powder and remain that way after sintering, which is the desired outcome, but the lack of uniformity in the deposition results in weaknesses of the material. In order to get a uniform distribution of these unbundled carbon nanotubes in the composite, the carbon nanotubes must be uniformly deposited onto the ceramic powders. There are technical challenges to overcome in getting this uniform deposition, including issues with catalyst causing the powder to clump up and the need for a uniform gas flow around the catalyst coated ceramic powders during the chemical vapour deposition process. This call concerns overcoming these challenges. NRC is seeking a ceramic powder processing solution that will upgrade raw ceramic powder into a uniformly coated, sinterable, hybrid carbon nanotube ceramic powder that can be produced with production rates > 1 kg / h.

Desired Outcomes and Considerations

Essential (Mandatory) Outcomes

Proposed solutions must:

1. Produce a uniform distribution of carbon nanotubes at loadings up to 3% (by weight) on the surface of ground alumina powder grains starting from neat alumina powder. The neat alumina powder must be of a size of 0.5 m or less (d50). The loading (measured by thermal gravimetric analysis in air) must have a precision of better than 0.1%. The uniformity must be confirmable by imaging under a scanning electron microscope and there cannot be regions where the alumina grains are not loaded with nanotubes.
2. Deposit high quality carbon nanotubes onto the powder grains, as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The Raman spectrum and TGA thermogram must be consistent with high quality single or multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Imaging by scanning electron microscopy must show high aspect ratio (a long length compared to their diameter), straight nanotubes. Imaging by transmission electron microscopy must show a high degree of graphitization.
3. Also work for carbon nanotube deposition onto silicon carbide powders.
4. Process the powder at a rate of greater than 1 kg / h.
5. Include all the necessary interlocks for safe, hands-off operation by a trained operator.
6. Be automated for programmable, repeatable operations.
7. Be able to operate for 24 h without stopping.
8. Include all gas cabinets needed for safe handling of process gases.
9. Include all abatement systems needed for safe process gas exhausting.
10. Have a footprint of less than 10 m² and be less than 3 m in height.
11. Work at pressures ranging from atmospheric to below 0.1 bar.

Additional Outcomes

N/A

Background and Context

Carbon nanotubes – ceramic composites are of particular interest for developing light weight armour by Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) and their clients. Through the DRDC-funded Advanced Ceramic Plate Technology project, NRC in collaboration with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and DRDC have been exploring methods for producing and sintering hybrid carbon nanotube ceramic materials in order to produce composite plates. Processing of ultrafine ceramic powders (e.g. Alteo P172LSB super ground reactive alumina, 99.8%, 0.4 µm D50) into carbon nanotube hybrids by chemical vapour deposition methods followed by high pressure sintering has been found to be a very promising approach. However, progress is currently limited by the available batch processing chemical vapour deposition reactor. The limitations are related to inhomogeneity of the sinterable hybrids, which leads to inhomogeneity in the sintered composite. This inhomogeneity can be traced to two sources. The first is clumping of the ceramic powder during catalyst deposition. This problem is currently being addressed by first calcining the catalyst precursor stained powder in air, followed by jet milling. This process is effective but is very time consuming and expensive. A more efficient process is desirable, such as the deposition of the catalyst concurrently with the carbon nanotube deposition (so-called floating catalyst chemical vapour deposition). The second source is related to the static, batch processing being employed. Currently, the powder is placed in a pan and processed as in a batch mode. This mode leads to depletion effects whereby the reactive gas concentration drops as one goes deeper into the thickness of the powder, leading to greater carbon nanotube deposition at the top of the powder layer than further down. NRC does not currently have a method of overcoming this problem; however, tumbling furnaces are commercially available to move the powder during processing and could be engineered into a chemical vapour reactor for carbon nanotube deposition. Other methods may also be possible, including possibly fluidized bed reactors or spray reactors.

ENQUIRIES

All enquiries must be submitted in writing to TPSGC.SIC-ISC.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca no later than ten calendar days before the Challenge Notice closing date. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered.