Production Scale-up of NanoAluminum Armor

In this Phase I SBIR, Powdermet will demoonstrate a scalable, safe, and economic process for producing bulk nanoscale aluminum-magnesium alloy powders. This process is more scalable and much lower cost and safer than current LN2 cryomilling processes. Powdermet will team with case Western Reserve University, to develop a direct powder rolling process enabling armor plate to be produced, and powder-temperature-time-deformation maps will be developed to determine suitable rolling conditions leading to duplex nano- microscale aluminum composites. BENEFITS: Duplex nano-microscale aluminum composites have demonstrated sim,ulanteuous high strength and ductility needed for next generation lightweight armor. These materials show promise for equaling the performance of RHA steel, at 1/3rd the weight, enabling performance of a 70 ton tank in a mobile 30 ton package. Powdermet's process would enable tonnoage quantity production of nanocrsyatlline aluminum powder needed to support vehcile demonstration and production.