Ductile Alloy Encapsulated Ceramic Armor Development
Abstract
Development of a fabrication process for encapsulating or cladding ballistic resistant ceramic materials with ductile metal alloys is described. Cladding is accomplished by powder metallurgy (P/M) technology in which an envelope of elemental metal powders, blended with elemental metal powders, blended with elemental or master alloy powder additions, is cold isostatically pressed around the ceramic in an inexpensive, re-usable elastomeric mold. The P/ M envelope is further densified by vacuum sintering optionally followed by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing). The metal cladding can also be heat treated for further enhancement of its mechanical properties. Besides the potential for improving ballistic armor performance, this P/M method of cladding offers wider flexibility in the design of ceramic armor systems allowing for the manufacture of multi-tile and multi-ceramic designs with the ceramic elements arranged and oriented in many different arrays. The metal cladding also provides a means of attaching armor plates by welding, thus offering advantages in the repair and maintainability of armored vehicles. The report describes the details of the optimized P/M cladding process of ceramics with titanium and aluminum base materials. Also described are efforts to evaluate and enhance the quality and strength of the bonding between the ceramics and strength of the bonding between the ceramics and the metal cladding. Results of ballistic testing of different armor designs against .30 caliber and .50 caliber armor piercing threats are reported. Keywords: Titanium boride; Aluminum oxide; Silicon carbide; Titanium alloys; Aluminum alloys; Ceramic armor; Vehicular armor.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA217632
Entities
People
- Dino J. Papetti
- Paul Weihrauch
- Stanley Abkowitz
- Stephen A. Mariano
- Susan M. Abkowitz