Lightweight Structural and Insulating Materials

Boyd delivers multifunctional solutions that cut mass while enhancing protection and thermal performance. Solimide® foams provide cryogenic insulation, acoustic damping, and fire safety for spacecraft, aircraft, and defence vehicles. Lightweight brazed and machined aluminum combine load-bearing strength with embedded thermal pathways, enabling enclosures, panels, and housings that both support and cool mission-critical systems. Together, they reduce weight, extend mission life, and safeguard sensitive electronics in extreme environments.

• Solimide® Foams – Cryogenic-compatible insulation with low density, used in spacecraft cabins, cryotanks, and acoustic/thermal damping. A family of polyimide foams engineered for lightweight, thermally stable, and flame-retardant insulation.

  Thermal properties:
  • Stable from cryogenic temps (down to –196 °C) up to +300 °C.
  • Low thermal conductivity, making it highly effective for insulation in both hot and cold regimes.

  Advantages:
  • Low density (10–12 lb/ft³ typical), enabling weight-critical aerospace and space applications.
  • Non-toxic, flame-retardant, low smoke emission, critical for crewed spacecraft and aircraft.
  • Acoustic damping—absorbs sound and vibration, improving crew comfort and protecting sensitive instruments.
  • Available in flexible or rigid panels, cut/shaped for specific geometries.

  Applications:
  • Space: Cryotank insulation, spacecraft cabins, crew habitats, satellite thermal barriers.
  • Aerospace: Commercial and military aircraft cabins, ducting insulation, acoustic panels.
  • Defence: Naval and land vehicles for thermal/acoustic insulation, lightweight fire-retardant linings.

• Lightweight Brazed & Machined Aluminum Structures – Combine structural integrity with embedded thermal pathway. Advanced precision-machined or brazed metallic assemblies designed to combine structural strength with thermal management. Often incorporate embedded thermal pathways (channels, heat spreaders, integrated cold plates)

  Advantages:
  • Dual functionality: Load-bearing structures that also manage heat.
  • Material flexibility: Aluminum for lightweight cost-effective builds; titanium for high strength, corrosion resistance, and CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) compatibility with composites or ceramics.
  • Integration potential: Can embed vapor chambers, APG inserts, or fluid channels for hybrid designs.
  • High reliability: Brazed joints ensure leak-tight, robust performance under launch, vibration, and thermal cycling stresses.

  Applications:
  • Space: Satellite structural panels with embedded heat pipes/APG for radiator functions; battery enclosures; instrument housings.
  • Aerospace: Aircraft avionics trays, load-bearing cooling plates, lightweight pylons.
  • Defence: Ruggedized enclosures for radar, electronic warfare pods, and vehicle-mounted compute systems.

Combined Value

These solutions reinforce Boyd’s ability to merge thermal management with structural and protective functions:

• Solimide® foams → insulation, acoustic/vibration damping, cryogenic protection.

• Lightweight brazed/machined structures → strength, heat transport, and mass optimization.

Together, they enable platforms to save weight, extend mission life, and protect sensitive electronics and crews in hostile environments.