High temperature composite projectile barrel

Abstract

A composite projectile barrel is disclosed comprising a polymer matrix composite outer shell that accommodates higher temperature loading. In one embodiment, the invention comprises an outer shell fabricated from carbon fibers and polyimide resin having a glass transition temperature greater than 500° F. In another embodiment, the resin mixture includes a plurality of sizes of aluminum particles, between about 0.1 microns and 10.0 microns in diameter and of approximately spherical shape, as a thermal conductive additive.

1 . A barrel for directing the path of a dischargeable projectile, comprising:
 an inner liner defining an axial bore; and   an outer shell surrounding and in direct contact with the inner liner, said outer shell fabricated from a polymer matrix composite (PMC), said PMC comprising fibers and a resin mixture, said resin mixture comprising a resin having a glass transition temperature greater than 500° F.   
     
     
         2 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein said inner liner comprises a metal. 
     
     
         3 . The barrel of  claim 2  wherein said metal comprises a steel alloy. 
     
     
         4 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein the fibers comprise carbon fiber. 
     
     
         5 . The barrel of  claim 4  wherein the carbon fiber comprises carbon fiber tows helically wound around the inner liner in a plurality of layers. 
     
     
         6 . The barrel of  claim 5  wherein the plurality of layers include a plurality of winding angles relative to the axial bore. 
     
     
         7 . The barrel of  claim 5  wherein at least one of said plurality of layers comprises a plurality of PAN precursor carbon fibers. 
     
     
         8 . The barrel of  claim 7  wherein said PAN precursor carbon fibers have a diameter of approximately 3 microns to 15 microns. 
     
     
         9 . The barrel of  claim 5  wherein at least one of said plurality of layers comprises a plurality of pitch precursor carbon fibers. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein the resin is a thermoset resin. 
     
     
         12 . The barrel of  claim 11  wherein the thermoset resin is a polyimide resin. 
     
     
         13 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein said resin mixture further comprises at least one thermally conductive additive. 
     
     
         14 . The barrel of  claim 13  wherein said thermally conductive additive is selected from the group consisting essentially of: metal, ceramic, diamond, graphene, graphite, carbon nanotubes, and chopped pitch carbon fiber. 
     
     
         15 . The barrel of  claim 13  wherein said thermally conductive additive comprises aluminum particles. 
     
     
         16 . The barrel of  claim 15  wherein said aluminum particles have a generally spherical shape. 
     
     
         17 . The barrel of  claim 16  wherein said aluminum particles comprise a plurality of sizes between about 0.1 microns and 10.0 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         18 . A barrel for directing the path of a dischargeable projectile, comprising:
 an inner liner defining an axial bore; and   an outer shell surrounding and in direct contact with the inner liner, said outer shell fabricated from a polymer matrix composite (PMC), said PMC comprising a resin mixture and fibers, said resin mixture comprising generally spherical metallic particles, said metallic particles comprising a plurality of sizes between about 0.1 microns and 10.0 microns in diameter.   
     
     
         19 . The barrel of  claim 18  wherein said metallic particles are aluminum. 
     
     
         20 . A firearm comprising a receiver, a stock connected to the receiver, and a barrel connected to the receiver, wherein the barrel comprises:
 an inner liner defining an axial bore; and   an outer shell surrounding and in direct contact with the inner liner, said outer shell fabricated from a polymer matrix composite (PMC), said PMC comprising a resin and fibers, said resin having a glass transition temperature greater than 500° F.   
     
     
         21 . A barrel for directing the path of a dischargeable projectile, comprising:
 a steel alloy inner liner defining an axial bore; and   an polymer matrix composite (PMC) outer shell surrounding and in direct contact with the inner liner, said PMC comprising a thermoset polyimide resin having a glass transition temperature greater than 500° F., said PMC further comprising carbon fiber tows wound helically around the inner liner in a plurality of layers and at a plurality of winding angles relative to the axial bore, said carbon fiber tows comprising a plurality of PAN precursor carbon fibers each carbon fiber having a diameter of about 3 to 15 microns, wherein generally spherical aluminum particles are dispersed throughout the PMC, said aluminum particles having a plurality of sizes between about 0.1 microns and 10.0 microns in diameter.