Large Scale Nano-Crystalline Coatings For Penetration Resistance

The US Army needs an effective method to augment and repair existing armor technologies. Nanoscale metal matrix composite (MMC) materials provide a promising combination of properties and could provide an ideal armor coating for increasing threat severity. Cold spray is a low temperature, solid state method of additive manufacturing that has shown promise for the deposition of hard, MMC materials with minimal change to the microstructure, allowing the generation of nanostructured materials on hard substrates. VRC Metal Systems, in collaboration with The Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory, Northeastern University, and the Army Research Laboratory propose to develop high rate, cold sprayed, nanostructured MMC coatings for high hard armor and aluminum armor. The phase I effort will characterize the state-of-the-art in nanoscale cold spray materials, down select appropriate powders, perform preliminary ballistic assessment, and establish the feasibility of high rate deposition. The proposed effort will result in a literature survey documenting the state-of-the-art, an assessment of the ballistic performance of the material, and a feasibility demonstration of high rate cold sprayed nanostructured MMC materials, ready for further development and production in Phase II.