Energy Release and Fragmentation of Brittle Aluminum Reactive Material Cases

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Authors
Kline, Jacob C.
Mason, Brian P.
Hooper, Joseph P.
Subjects
Reactive Materials
Energetic Materials
Fragmentation
Advisors
Date of Issue
2021
Date
Publisher
Wiley
Language
Abstract
Cylindrical reactive material cases produced by the consolidation of an aluminum powder were tested via explosive launch in a closed chamber. One configuration measured the quasistatic overpressure generated by the case and explosive, and two further tests focused on softcatch of fragments before and after striking the chamber walls. On a volumetric basis, the reactive material cases produced two to three times the combustion energy of an aluminum 6061 alloy case or a bare nitromethane explosive that was tested as comparisons. The metal combustion primarily occurs after case fragments impact the walls. Increasing the reactive material case thickness produces a higher pressure but lower combustion efficiency per unit mass, despite producing comparable or slightly more fine fragments on a per gram basis. Though the brittle, pressed aluminum cases have low toughness and tensile strength, recovered fragment patterns show a range of fragment sizes up to 1 mm, with approximately one-third of the mass below 100 μm.
Type
Article
Description
17 USC 105 interim-entered record; under review.
The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/prep.202100014
Series/Report No
Department
Physics
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Office of Naval Research
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Funder
Identified in text as U.S. Government work.
N0001420WX00021
Format
11 p.
Citation
Kline, Jacob C., Brian P. Mason, and Joseph P. Hooper. "Energy Release and Fragmentation of Brittle Aluminum Reactive Material Cases." Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics (2021).
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.
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