GoKawiilChromatic 3D materials, an advanced 3D printing materials company, recently announced it had successfully static-fired tested its 3D-printed rocket propellant. The tests, which took place at the integrated solutions for systems (IS4S) test range in Opekia, Alabama, demonstrated that the company's propellant can withstand over 1800 psi of combustion pressures without structural failure. The company describes the development as a “critical milestone in advancing resilient, next-generation propulsion manufacturing for rockets and defense applications.”
Rocket propellants , the high-energy material rocket engines combust and eject to produce thrust, are generally classified by their physical state as liquid, solid, hybrid, and gas — each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Solid propellants offer the benefits of simplicity and readiness, at the expense of efficiency and control, the hallmarks of their liquid counterparts.
These propellants allow rockets to be stored fully fueled and ready to go, unlike liquids or gases that require loading. Furthermore, solid propellants don't require mixing, so there are no complex moving parts such as valves, plumbing, or pumps. They also make it possible to store fueled rockets for decades and have them still fire reliably. These characteristics make solid propellants the only choice for missiles and ICBMs.
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Traditionally, solid rockets are made by mixing the propulsion material — fuel and oxidizer — with a binder into a thick slurry, pouring it directly into the prefabricated rocket's casing, and then baking it for days to weeks to cure it into a hard, rubbery rock. A large metal rod, called a mandrel, is typically positioned at the center of the mold before casting and then removed after solidification, leaving a hollow channel for the combustion chamber.
This method, which has been the standard for over 60+ years, has several drawbacks. First, while the process has been developed to be quite precise, it doesn't eliminate the possibility of a tiny air bubble or crack near the casing that could lead to an explosion when the rocket is ignited or in flight.
There's also the matter of the mandrel. Casting around a rod and then yanking it out later is crude by today's manufacturing standards. It could lead to cracks, and more importantly, the mandrel significantly limits the shapes that can be cast — a critical limitation, as shape often determines speed and thrust. Lastly, baking and curing are energy-intensive and can take days or weeks.
Chromatics’ 3D printing materials and processes completely solve these problems and offer several additional benefits. The company's solution is a full-stack system that encompasses both advanced materials and the printing technology required to 3D print rocket propellants.
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First, the technology. Chromatics had earlier developed a proprietary, chemical-reaction-based Reactive Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (RX-AM) platform that 3D prints durable elastomeric materials. Instead of melting plastic like in fused deposition modeling, the platform pumps a chemical mixture that reacts and hardens almost instantly as it is laid down.
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