Performance Map for Low-Cost Titanium Armor

The research solicited under the STTR A06-T009 is ideally matched to the core technology strengths of MSDPO - microstructure sensitive design for performance optimization. MSDPO embodies a rigorous mathematical framework for systematic design of material microstructure to meet the requirements of the designer. This methodology starts with the specification of a microstructure hull, defined as the set of all possible microstructures deemed relevant by the governing physics of the design problem. The microstructure hulls facilitate the delineation of the properties closures, depicting the complete set of all theoretically feasible combinations of anisotropic properties. It is emphasized here that it would be impossible to establish the most typical property closures desired by the designer without the specification of the microstructure hull. It is proposed to develop a comprehensive set of microstructure hulls, anisotropic property closures, and processing maps for Ti and its alloys. Armed with these datasets, the designer will be fully empowered to suitably alter the microstructures in the available stock materials and customize them for optimal (or close to optimal) performance for a given application.