DUCTILE ALLOY ENCAPSULATED CERAMIC ARMOR DEVELOPMENT

IMPROVED ARMOR RESISTANT MATERIALS ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP PACE WITH TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN PENETRATOR MATERIALS. CERAMIC ARMOR OFFERS POTENTIAL BUT LACKS THE REQUIRED TOUGHNESS REQUIRED FOR GOOD BALLISTIC PROPERTIES. ENCAPSULATION OF THE CERAMIC MATERIAL IN A DUCTILE ALLOY CLADDING COULD OFFER SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE IN OVERALL BALLISTIC BEHAVIOR. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM WILL ENCOMPASS A PRELIMINARY LOOK AT THE ENCAPSULATION OF THREE PROMISING LIGHT WEIGHT CERAMICMATERIALS UTILIZING TI-6AL-4V ALLOY AND AL6061 ALLOY AS THE CLADDING MATERIALS. INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES OF COLD ISOSTATIC PRESSING, VACUUM SINTERING AND HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING WILL BE UTILIZED TO PRODUCE THE ENCAPSULATION. PROTOTYPE TEST PLATES PRODUCED IN THIS MANNER WILL BE BALLISTICALLY EVALUATED AT AMMRC.