Hafnium- and Titanium-Coated Tungsten Powders for Kinetic Energy Penetrators, Phase 1, SBIR
Abstract
Depleted uranium (DU) is the state-of-the-art material for kinetic energy penetrators used to defeat steel and composite armors. DU alloys, however, are costly to fabricate, handle, and store because of their extremely complex metallurgy and the obvious health considerations associated with the use of uranium. Tungsten composite materials are also used in kinetic energy penetrators, offering easier and safer fabrication, handling, and storage but to date lacking the performance of DU. The mechanisms by which a penetrator defeats an armor are difficult to determine, either experimentally or from first principles. Recent experiments have identified the presence of an adiabatic shear mechanism that appears to be important in the penetration of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) by DU penetrators. In this program, Ultramet proposed to apply hafnium and titanium coatings to tungsten powder (Wp) particles by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using an established fluidized-bed powder coating technique. Both hafnium and titanium are known to exhibit the adiabatic shear phenomenon. High strain rate experiments (approx.10 to the 4th power/sec) were performed on Ti(6A1-4V) and hafnium materials in order to establish the presence or absence of this mode of deformation in small cylindrical specimens. In addition, specimens of 2 wt% CVD Hf/Wp and 2 wt% CVD Hf + 8 wt% powder-mixed Hf/Wp were tested at high strain rate conditions (approx. 10 to the 4th power/sec). Tungsten powders, Composites, Chemical Vapor Deposition(CVD), Microstructure, Hafnium, Titanium, Dynamic tests, Strain rate testing, Powder metallurgy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA256077
Entities
People
- Brian E. Williams
- Jacob J. Stiglich Jr.