U.S. patent number 3,802,850 [Application Number 05/305,784] was granted by the patent office on 1974-04-09 for graded impact resistant structure of titanium diboride in titanium.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Man-Labs, Incorporated. Invention is credited to Edward V. Clougherty.
United States Patent |
3,802,850 |
Clougherty |
April 9, 1974 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
GRADED IMPACT RESISTANT STRUCTURE OF TITANIUM DIBORIDE IN
TITANIUM
Abstract
A new product resistant to impact from foreign bodies including
both erosion and collision has a graded structure with an outwardly
facing surface prepared from a mixture of titanium and titanium
diboride. For a specific purpose of ballistic impact resistance, a
product has a graded structure wherein the exposed or impact
receiving face has a composition corresponding to a mixture of
titanium and boron in a range between the approximate equivalents
of 25 to 60 percent titanium diboride and the remainder primarily
titanium, while the inwardly facing surface is primarily titanium
or a titanium alloy. The presently preferred process for producing
the product comprises mixing powders of titanium and geometry
titanium diboride in the desired graded grometry and hot pressing
then, desirably with a sheet or structure of titanium or titanium
alloy or a similar support material at the back surface.
Inventors: |
Clougherty; Edward V. (West
Roxbury, MA) |
Assignee: |
Man-Labs, Incorporated
(Cambridge, MA)
|
Family
ID: |
23182329 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/305,784 |
Filed: |
November 13, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/547; 75/244;
419/12; 428/636; 89/36.02; 428/564; 428/660 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C04B
35/645 (20130101); B22F 7/06 (20130101); C04B
35/58071 (20130101); B22F 2998/00 (20130101); B22F
2998/00 (20130101); Y10T 428/12021 (20150115); Y10T
428/12139 (20150115); Y10T 428/12639 (20150115); Y10T
428/12806 (20150115); B22F 2207/01 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
C04B
35/58 (20060101); B22F 7/06 (20060101); B22f
003/14 (); B22f 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;29/182.2,182.3,182.5
;75/202,28R,28CS,226 ;89/36A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Quarforth; Carl D.
Assistant Examiner: Hunt; B. H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Rosen & Steinhilper
Claims
1. A graded structure comprising a hot pressed body having a
structure of graded composition, the exposed face of the body
having a boron and titanium concentration corresponding to the
boron and titanium concentrations of a mixture of between about 25
and about 60 percent by weight of TiB.sub.2 and about 75 and about
40 percent by weight of titanium, and the back face of the body
having a substantially lower boron concentration, the boron and
titanium concentrations at the back face corresponding to the boron
and titanium concentrations of a mixture of between about zero and
about 35 percent TiB.sub.2 and between about 100
2. A graded structure according to claim 1, wherein the back face
of the
3. The graded structure of claim 1, wherein the back face of the
body is bonded to a titanium metal support structure by means of a
metallic
4. The graded structure of claim 1, wherein the back face of the
hot pressed body is bonded to a metal titanium alloy having a
composition of approximately 90 percent titanium, 6 percent
aluminum and 4 percent
5. A graded structure comprising a hot pressed body having a
structure of graded composition, the impact receiving face of the
body having a boron and titanium concentration corresponding to the
boron and titanium concentrations of a mixture of between about 25
and about 60 percent by weight of TiB.sub.2 and about 75 and about
40 percent by weight of titanium, and the back face of the body
having a substantially lower boron concentration corresponding to
the boron and titanium concentrations of a mixture of between about
zero and about 35 percent TiB.sub.2 and between about 100 and 75
percent titanium and a metallic titanium support bonded
6. The structure of claim 5, wherein the metallic titanium support
is bonded to the hot pressed body by a layer of hot pressed
powdered titanium
7. A method of forming a graded structure comprising
forming a first mixture of finely divided powders containing
titanium and boron consisting essentially of proportions
corresponding to between about 25 and about 60 percent by weight
titanium diboride and the remainder essentially titanium;
separately forming at least one second mixture of finely divided
powders containing titanium and boron consisting essentially of
proportions corresponding to between about 10 and about 25 percent
by weight titanium diboride and the remainder essentially
titanium;
disposing said first mixture and at least one of said second
mixtures in graded layers, said layers being so disposed and
arranged that said first mixture having higher boron content is
positioned to become an exposed surface in a formed structure and
said second layer having less boron content to become a back
surface facing away from said exposed surface;
forming said powders into a shaped graded structure hot pressing
said graded layers at a temperature between about 2,100.degree.F.
and about 2,500.degree.F.; and
bonding said back surface of said pressed layers to a metal
structure by
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first mixture of powders is a
mixture
9. The method of claim 7, wherein said metal structure is bonded to
said
10. The method of claim 7, wherein said metal structure is bonded
to said
11. In the method according to claim 7, wherein said metal
structure is metallic titanium bonded to said shaped pressed
powder, the step comprising hot pressing graded layers of said
first and second mixtures, an intermediate layer of titanium powder
and a metallic titanium structure.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A number of types of materials have been employed in uses and
applications where resistance to impact is desired. Depending on
the intended use and application and the type of impact which is to
be expected, a wide variety of criteria exist. For example,
military applications of products resistant to ballistic impact are
exposed to severe hazards such as penetration by armor piercing
ammunition and also to exposure to high velocity fragmentation
hazards. Other uses and applications of ballistic impact resistant
products may be less severe and, for example, non-military security
operations are not normally to be expected to be exposed to the
hazard of armor piercing ammunition and seldom to fragmentation
hazards such as artillery, grenades and the like. Furthermore, in
many industrial and commercial uses and applications, greatly less
severe hazards are to be expected. For example, in many commercial
and industrial uses erosion, with or without thermal or mechanical
shock and stress can be a very exacting problem. Thus extrusion
dies, nozzles and the like suffer abrasion or erosion from impact
by hard particles. Turbines have problems of thermal and mechanical
stress combined with impact by foreign bodies.
Although the present invention has many forms and embodiments, the
greatest amount of data and information relates to the very severe
conditions and requirements in resistance to collision such as
ballistic impact. Generally speaking, components or structures
providing ballistic impact resistance are classified in two
categories known as parasitic and structural. Parasitic ballistic
impact resistance relates to situations in which shields or similar
devices are carried or hung on a person or object to be protected.
Structural ballistic impact resistance on the other hand, relates
to uses and applications where the structure itself is exposed to
the hazards and where the ballistic impact resistant product must,
accordingly, be a part of the exposed structure. In each case,
there are certain common properties which are desirable, such as
strong resistance to impact, minimum weight, and, of course
relatively moderate cost. In the case of structural ballistic
impact resistance, however, an additional key characteristic is
that the product itself should be structurally sound.
For structural ballistic impact resistance generally intended for
resisting armor piercing ammunition, it is usual to employ a
structural material such as a dual hardness steel which is a roll
bonded product of two different types of steel. Such a product is
relatively heavy, particularly in view of the need to employ quite
thick as well as strong dual hardness steel, resulting in an areal
density of 12 pounds per square inch to be effective against 30
caliber armor piercing ammunition. In addition, steel offers
limited protection against high speed fragmentation impact.
For parasitic ballistic impact resistance, it is usual to employ
materials such as alumina, silicon carbide, boron carbide and the
like, using these with plastic back-up, the assembly being
characterized by relatively good resistance to fragmentation and
other impact. They are, however, not satisfactory for structural
ballistic impact applications.
Accordingly, there are shortcomings in the best of the known
materials and products for ballistic impact resistance and there
are no products which satisfactorily offer the combined protection
separately provided by parasitic and structural ballistic impact
resistance products, and there are equal problems in products for
industrial and commercial use.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a product useful for many
commercial, industrial and security applications including both
structural and parasitic ballistic impact resistance comprises a
formed or shaped article having a structure including a graded
composition of titanium and boron. The outer surface of the
article, or the impact receiving face, is characterized by
extremely high degree of hardness and has a relatively higher
proportion of boron. The inner surface or the one positioned away
from the exposure to the hazard of ballistic impact has a
relatively low proportion of boron and may be nearly or entirely
titanium in the absence of boron. Desirably, this product is
supported on a structural support base, particularly where
structural ballistic missile protection is sought. The presently
preferred structural support base is titanium metal or titanium
alloy. This graded structure, or geometry, has proven greatly more
effective at least in certain severe tests than the best material
or structure previously known; moreover, these severe tests occur
at precisely one point of greatest practical utility.
The new products are substantially better in ballistic impact
resistance specifically with reference to high powered armor
piercing ammunition than is the usual structural product previously
preferred, namely, dual hardness steel, and at the same time, they
are effective against low velocity non-armor piercing ammunition
and high velocity fragments. In other words, the products according
to the present invention appear to out-perform the current products
in the hazard exposures in which such prior products are generally
employed.
The new products are relatively light in weight or bulk density as
compared with prior structural products; and because of their
better performance, thinner and lighter protection can be used to
increase their ballistic impact resistance in terms of
effectiveness per unit weight. The products of the present
invention are about as light in weight as prior parasitic ballistic
impact resistant products. At the same time, they need not compete
against such prior light weight parasitic ballistic impact
resistant products because they are suitable structural products.
The result is that compared with existing products, they offer the
best of both worlds.
The nature of the invention can be more readily understood with
reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plate of graded structure
according to one form of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross section of the plate of FIG. 1.
SPECIFIC NATURE OF THE INVENTION
In the figures, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a shaped graded
structure 10 according to one embodiment of the invention. This
shaped structure may be of any shape or form, as desired, and may
for example, be a plate of armor, a turbine blade, an extrusion
die, or any other object as is normally encountered in commercial,
industrial or security use. For simplicity of illustration, the
structure 10 is shown as a plate. Generally speaking, in addition
to ballistic missile resistive structures and other shaped articles
named herein, this shaped article may be of any of the structures
for which refractory ceramics are employed.
In FIG. 2, the graded structure of a presently preferred embodiment
of the plate of FIG. 1 is diagrammatically illustrated. The
structure or plate 10 comprises a base 11, a first layer 12, called
herein an interface layer, a second layer 13, called herein an
intermediate layer, and a surface or exposed layer 14. Layer 13 may
in practice be a plurality of layers.
The presently preferred procedure for the production of the shaped
hot pressed ballistic impact resistant products according to the
present invention comprises mixing powders of titanium metal and
titanium diboride in graded geometry as diagrammed in FIG. 2,
wherein the highest concentration of titanium diboride is at the
exposed or impact receiving face and the highest concentration of
titanium metal is at the back or support areas, and hot pressing
this mixture either with or without a support metal backing. In
preparing and mixing the materials for the graded structure
according to the present invention, it is preferred to employ
titanium powder and titanium diboride powder. In the first place,
no advantage has been found or would be expected as a result of the
use of titanium powder and boron powder, while at the same time, it
is believed that some advantages result from the use of titanium
diboride powder. In the hot pressing step, it is believed that
there is a large degree of chemical reaction between the titanium
powder and the titanium diboride powder with which it is mixed,
although this reaction may not be complete. It is probable
therefore, that in the mixed layers which are at least layers 13
and 14 of FIG. 2, there are large quantities of a titanium-boron
composition corresponding to TiB.
In the compositions in the various layers which include boron or
titanium diboride, it is more useful to one skilled in the art for
many reasons to consider the proportions in terms of the percentage
by weight of titanium which has been mixed with an amount of
titanium diboride as a starting material to form the resulting hot
pressed layer. Accordingly, this mode of presentation is included
in the specification and the claims. A composition whose
proportions correspond to TiB is a composition prepared from about
45 percent titanium and about 55 percent titanium diboride and thus
a composition prepared from 50 percent titanium and 50 percent
titanium diboride has a slight excess of titanium over and above
that required to produce a composition corresponding to TiB.
In the specific examples, two powders were employed, titanium
diboride approximately -325 mesh and titanium metal approximately
-100 mesh. Mixing was achieved by ball milling for a period of one
hour until adjudged uniform. Two procedures have been employed: a
one-step procedure and a two-step procedure. In either procedure,
there is used a conventional hot pressing die including a graphite
die and pistons together with appropriate tooling and appropriate
heating means. Various mixtures of powdered titanium metal and
powdered titanium diboride are prepared in compositions and
proportions to produce layers 12, 13 and 14 of FIG. 2. These layers
were then laid down in the die in order to produce the structure
illustrated in FIG. 2. The die was then used in a hot pressing
operation to form the shaped structure.
The two step process is carried out like the one step procedure
except that no metal support or structural alloy sheet is employed.
After hot pressing, the hot pressed structure is removed from the
die and is then subjected to diffusion bonding. Diffusion bonding
conditions are typically about 1,900.degree.F. for 2 hours in an
argon atmosphere followed by slow furnace cooling. Adhesive bonding
at room temperature has been employed for bonding, but direct
bonding is presently preferred.
For preparation of test structures for ballistic impact tests, in
most cases, disks of 31/2 inch diameter were prepared, although
some larger structures have been employed. The powders were first
placed in a hot press, maintaining a desired graded structure by
placing successive layers of powders of graded composition. Where a
one-step process was used to hot press a metal disk to the powders,
such a disk was placed immediately on the top powder layer, and
then hot pressed. Where a two-step process is used, first hot
pressing the powders and then bonding the hot pressed refractory to
the metal, the metal preferably is placed against the pressed
refractory after removal from the mold and examination, cleaning
and/or testing, using diffusion bonding. The hot pressed refractory
or ceramic comprising the graded hot pressed structure of boron and
titanium may be used as parasitic ballistic missile protection,
bonded to or supported on a non-structural support such as a
plastic or reinforced plastic. For structural ballistic missile
protection, it is preferred that it be bonded to a structural metal
base or backing.
The metal backing or structural body 11 is particularly valuable in
structural ballistic impact resisting products. The metal backing
acts as a structural support, and in theory any metal may be used
which can be adhered to the ceramic body. In practice, there are
many requirements, some of them difficult. In the first place, the
metal must withstand fabricating temperatures: the hot pressing
temperatures actually used in the one-step process are about
2,250.degree.F. or even higher for certain of these ceramics, and
the diffusion bonding temperatures preferred in the two-step
process are about 1,900.degree.F. For compositions containing lower
percentages of titanium diboride hot pressing temperatures as low
as about 2,100.degree.F. may be employed; for compositions
containing higher percentages of titanium diboride, temperatures of
2,300.degree.F. may be required, with usual hot pressing pressures.
Pressures of about 3,000 pounds per square inch for several hours
are usually employed. In addition, the metal and the ceramic must
adhere to each other, being not incompatible. Further, in the
processing operations and in some of the uses, there is a wide
temperature variation, and accordingly, thermal expansion of the
metal and ceramic must be reasonably similar. Where high speed
impact of a heavy object is anticipated, sonic mis-match of metal
and ceramic must be minimized. In view of these several important
requirements, a titanium metal or titanium alloy sheet is now
preferred. A very satisfactory metal is a titanium sheet
commercially available as Ti--6Al--4V, a titanium alloy containing
6 percent aluminum and 4 percent vanadium and known herein as a
sheet of metallic titanium.
Generally speaking, the products of the present invention are
graded structures in which the impact receiving face of the
structure is relatively higher in its boron content and the rear
face is relatively higher in titanium content. Titanium boride
structures are hard surfaces adapted to deflect or resist impact
better than are the more ductile compositions having less boron. A
presently preferred structure can be prepared with an exposed
surface having a composition roughly corresponding to about 50
percent by weight titanium diboride and about 50 percent by weight
titanium. This surface is extremely hard and easily deflects or
defeats mild abrasion and, combined with the graded structure shown
in FIG. 2 effectively defeats severe impact. When the titanium
diboride proportion in the starting mix for the exposed surface is
reduced to about 25 percent or less, it becomes significantly less
effective. At the other end of the scale, when the percentage of
titanium diboride in the starting mix is increased substantially
above about 50 percent, there is a significant excess of TiB.sub.2
in the final product, requiring higher fabricating temperatures and
greater likelihood of mismatch between exposed surface and backing.
This can be partially accomodated by proliferation of layers in the
graded structure, but does not appear to offer sufficient advantage
to justify its increased problems. Accordingly, the presently
preferred proportions for the exposed surface are between about 25
percent and about 60 percent TiB.sub.2 and between about 75 percent
and about 40 percent titanium.
Supporting this face is a graded structure, either continuously
gradient in composition or having been prepared from several layers
of powder of different titanium and boron proportions, the higher
proportions of boron being nearer the impact receiving surface and
the higher proportions of titanium being away from the impact
receiving surface. Continuous gradation is more easily
approximated, if desired, in an engineered-production operation; a
layered structure generally is produced in low quantity production.
When a titanium metal sheet or structure is at the back of the
product, it is believed that this higher proportion of titanium
promotes bonding between the hot pressed powders and the metal.
Bonding is important among other reasons because one form of
failure under high velocity impact can be separation at this bond.
In addition, however, the refractory which is higher in titanium is
more ductile and structurally stronger. What is important is that
graded vs. non-graded structure gives a major difference in
performance with same thickness of sample.
The preferred graded structures and the presence or absence of a
metal backing plate or structure depend on the intended use and
application. For structural impact resistance uses where both armor
piercing ammunition and fragmentation impact are to be expected, as
with many military uses, a higher boron content in the impact
receiving face and a support metal structure are both desired. For
resistance to small arms fire, as with non-military security
operations, a lower boron content is satisfactory. For certain
primarily fragmentation impact situations, as with many industrial
and construction uses, thinner structures with or without
structural metal backing are generally satisfactory and may be
preferred because of cost, weight, or both. For many industrial
uses the metal structural support is very important.
The front, or impact receiving surface is of relatively high boron
content, generally corresponding to about 25 percent to about 60
percent, preferably around 50 percent by weight titanium diboride.
A substantial excess of TiB.sub.2, that is more than about 55
percent TiB.sub.2 and 45 percent Ti metal requires increasingly
high fabrication temperatures, and it has not yet been found that
more than 60 percent TiB.sub.2 improves the product sufficiently to
justify its added problems. Graded structures in which its impact
receiving or abrasion receiving surface is pressed from as little
as 25 percent TiB.sub.2 mixed with 75 percent Ti metal has moderate
resistive properties but is not as effective as a product whose
exposed face is pressed from 50 percent TiB.sub.2 and 50 percent Ti
metal powder.
The rear face of the refractory, or the hot pressed powder product
is substantially lower in boron content than the front face. In any
event, the rear face is lower in boron content than the proportions
equivalent to 25 weight percent TiB.sub.2, preferably less than
about 10 weight percent. If the rear face is bonded to a metal
support sheet or structure, the boron content at the rear face of
the refractory, or the face is bonded to the metal, is less than
that corresponding to 10 percent TiB.sub.2 and is preferably close
to or essentially 0 percent TiB.sub.2.
For non-severe uses and applications employing a lower proportion
of TiB.sub.2, a two layer structure may suffice. For uses and
applications employing a higher proportion of TiB.sub.2, several
layers may be required. For the most severe uses as illustrated in
the examples, a metal backing supporting or supplying structure for
layers 12, 13 and 14, have, to date been found satisfactory, far
out-performing the best known products previously available. The
intermediate layer 13 (or plurality of layers 13) is of
significantly lower proportion of equivalent TiB.sub.2 than is the
exposed surface (layer 14), generally between about 10 percent and
about 25 percent TiB.sub.2 in the original powder mixture.
For industrial uses, such as tools, dies, etc., the metal backed
products of the present invention offer the prospect that for the
first time a product may exist which can resist the thermal
stresses, wear and erosion, and other conditions of use, and at the
same time can be accidentally attacked, as by being knocked from
bench to floor without being ruined.
EXAMPLE I
A layered product was prepared by hot pressing as follows: a first
layer in amount which, when fully compacted, will compact to a
layer approximately 0.1 inch thick was placed in a graphite hot
pressing mold and was prepared by ball milling to produce an
essentially uniform mixture of titanium diboride powder and
titanium powder in proportions corresponding to 50 percent by
weight titanium diboride and 50 percent titanium metal. On top of
this layer was placed a second layer also compacting to
approximately 0.1 inch thick of a ball milled mixture corresponding
to the composition of about 25 percent by weight titanium diboride
and about 75 percent titanium metal powders. A next layer was
formed by adding thereto a layer of titanium metal powder
essentially without any added titanium diboride. This layer also
being such as to be compacted to a layer about 0.05 inch thick.
Finally, a 0.125 inch thick plate of Ti--6Al--4V titanium alloy was
placed on top of the powders. The layered product was then hot
pressed at about 2,250.degree.F. and about 3,000 pounds per square
inch pressure for about 3 hours, after which it was cooled and
removed from the mold. The pressing has been carried out in air,
but the preferred ambient atmosphere is an inert gas. Argon was
employed here.
Three types of tests have been used in evaluation of the structures
and products of the present invention. 30 caliber armor piercing
ammunition is fired at point blank range, perpendicular to the
surface at a muzzle velocity of 2,400 ft./sec. or higher. This is
considered to be a very severe test. Next, a 30 caliber ball is
fired, again perpendicular to the surface at muzzle velocities of
1,400 to 2,500 ft./sec. This test, employing softer ammunition is
considered to be a fair test representing resistance to small arms
fire. Third, 17 grain fragmentation simulators at 2,500 to 4,000
ft./sec. represent resistance to fragmentation uses.
In addition to observing actual ballistic missile stopping power,
it is useful to correlate stopping power with weight, as the
products of the invention are often intended to be carried by
people or to be carried by or to form portions of the structures of
airborne vehicles. Areal density conversions or the density of a
unit area required to defeat test impact, indicate that the
products of this invention have defeated the most severe of the
tests described at areal densities of 8.6 pounds per square foot,
and areal densities of about 4 pounds per square foot successfully
defeat the less severe tests described herein.
In the Table are shown results of ballistic tests on three
products. Product A has an upper layer or volume approximately 0.1
inch thick of a composition hot pressed from 50 weight percent
TiB.sub.2 and 50 percent Ti metal powder, a middle layer or volume
of about 0.1 inch thick pressed from 25 percent TiB.sub.2 and 75
percent Ti metal powder, a lower layer about 0.05 inch thick
pressed from Ti metal without TiB.sub.2, and an alloy plate about
0.125 inch thick of Ti--6Al--4V alloy. Product B has an upper layer
about 0.03 inch thick of similarly hot pressed 50 percent TiB.sub.2
and 50 percent Ti, a middle layer about 0.1 inch thick of 25
percent TiB.sub.2 and 75 percent Ti, a lower layer of about 0.05
inch thick of 100 percent Ti, and an alloy plate of Ti--6Al--4V
about 0.125 inch thick. Product C has a top layer about 0.03 inch
thick pressed from 50 percent TiB.sub.2 and 50 percent Ti, a lower
layer about 0.02 inch thick of 100 percent Ti and an alloy plate
about 0.125 inch thick of Ti--6Al--4V alloy.
EXAMPLE II
The procedure of Example I has been repeated with various thickness
of layers and compositions some of which were tested as shown in
the Table. In one of these procedures a continuous gradient was
approximated by producing a twelve layer structure comprising a
metal base of Ti--6Al--4V approximately 0.125 inch thick bearing
eleven graded layers thereon. As in Example I, a first layer in an
amount which, when fully compressed will compact to a layer
approximately 0.022 inch thick was placed in a hot pressing mold,
this layer being a uniform mixture of 50 percent by weight titanium
diboride and 50 percent by weight powdered titanium metal.
Thereafter, 10 successive layers, each adapted to compress to a
layer 0.022 inch thick, were placed thereover, each layer
containing about 5 percent less titanium diboride than the previous
layer, until the last or top layer was a layer of titanium powder.
The Ti--6Al--4V metal was then placed in contact with the titanium
metal powder, and the structure hot pressed as in Example I. After
hot pressing, the product was tested against 30 caliber armor
piercing ammunition at 2,400 ft./sec. velocity, with similar but
better result as with a four zone structure: the ceramic was
punctured and lifted from the alloy, but there was no penetration
of the alloy. The product also resisted successfully impact of 30
caliber armor piercing ammunition at 2,500 ft./sec. velocity.
PRODUCT TEST CONDITIONS TEST RESULTS
__________________________________________________________________________
A Threat 30 caliber AP; Velocity Ceramic fragmented; Area density
8.6 lbs./ft. 2500 ft./sec. Obliquity angle projectile stopped;
0.degree.. no penetration of alloy A Threat 30 caliber AP; Velocity
Ceramic punctured 2400 ft./sec. Obliquity angle and lifted from
alloy; 0.degree.. no penetration of alloy. A Threat 30 caliber
ball; Ceramic punctured Velocity 2500 ft./sec. and lifted from
alloy; Obliquity angle 0.degree.. no penetration of alloy. A Threat
30 caliber ball; Small surface chip Velocity 1400 ft./sec.; on
ceramic; no Obliquity angle 0.degree.. damage to alloy. A Threat 17
grain fragment; Same ceramic surface Velocity 3000 ft./sec. damage;
no damage to alloy. B Threat 17 grain fragment; Ceramic punctured
Area density 7.1 lbs./ft. Velocity 3500 ft./sec. and lifted from
alloy; no penetration of alloy. B Threat 17 grain fragment; Ceramic
punctured Velocity 4000 ft./sec. but not lifted; partial
penetration of alloy. C Threat 30 caliber ball; Partial
fragmentation Area density 4.2 lbs./ft. Velocity 1500 ft./sec. of
ceramic; ceramic Obliquity angle 0.degree.. not lifted; no
penetration of alloy.
__________________________________________________________________________
The test conditions regarding 30 caliber AP at 2,400 ft./sec.
velocity has been repeatedly used in the laboratory as a standard
test procedure with consistently informative results. When a single
test is performed for comparative purposes, this is the test now
selected. Thus, this test procedure in the Table represents many
repeated experiments.
The thickness of the shaped articles will depend on use and
application, as well as on shape and structure. The purpose of the
investigation illustrated by the examples has been to develop
products having the lightest possible weight capable of defeating
the severe threats to which they were subjected. Body thicknesses
considerably greater can be employed. In such cases, it is expected
that a more nearly continuous gradation will be advantageous. Layer
12, the interface layer, need not be very thick. The second layer
13 may comprise a substantial thickness or depth of the article.
The exposed layer 14 must be thick enough to receive and withstand
the initial impact. For the purposes of the very severe threats of
the tests shown in the table, layer 12 was satisfactory at a
thickness of about 0.05 inch and thinner layers appear to be
excellent. Layer 13 was preferred at a thickness of about 0.1 inch
in a four layer structure and layer 14 preferred at a thickness of
about 0.1 inch. The thinnest structure tested to date for ballistic
impact had a total thickness of 0.075 inch, of which the metal
support was 0.032 inch, layer 12 was 0.01 inch, layer 13 was 0.013
inch and layer 14 was 0.02 inch. This exhibited moderate ballistic
impact resistance.
It is to be expected that elements related to titanium, such as for
example, hafnium or zirconium may partly or completely replace
titanium in the products. In particular, hafnium may be used to
replace part or all of the titanium content of the titanium
diboride, and zirconium may replace a significant portion of the
titanium of the titanium diboride.
It also is realistic now to contemplate use of these new structural
ceramics for many of the purposes where the combination of
properties of ceramics and of metallic structural backing support
are important.
* * * * *