HED International recently announced it is developing rotary furnaces with GE and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey for the processing of nanopowders. The group intends to produce advanced submicron particle size material under precisely controlled thermal and atmosphere conditions to make stronger, lighter, and energy-efficient ceramics and metals.

To develop more effective armor, the U.S. Army has enlisted the help of industry and several universities, including the Rutgers Ceramic Composite and Optical Materials Center. There, Center Director Richard Haber, professor of material science and engineering, selected HED to design a new continuous rotary furnace for the production of redesigned boron carbide crystals at the atomic level suitable for fabrication into large shapes. While boron carbide already in armor applications is very tough and lightweight, its current atomic structure is insufficient as armor to withstand the kind of high-pressure impacts that many new powerful weapons can inflict.

“The goal is to revolutionize armor,” Haber said. “HED has the technical expertise and the rotary furnace designed to help us reach our objective.”

For additional information, visit www.hed.com.