jtchew@csa2.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW) (09/24/90)
From: jtchew@csa2.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW) Several years ago I knew a researcher (Al Szecket, then with New Mexico Tech) who was working on explosively laminated materials. If I may oversimplify a bit, he would make a sandwich of metal foil and metal wire mesh, put it under a thick metal"flyer plate," and bash it together with a charge of low-velocity explosive. The result was a thoroughly welded together laminate that was extremely strong for its weight, and he said that by choosing foils and meshes of alternately high and low Young's modulus of elasticity, he could achieve very good resistance to penetration. A similar effect could be achieved with a really big hydraulic press, but only at great cost and with severe limitations on the size and shape of the work. The flip side: it was kind of a black art at best, and I don't think that he was quite up to shaping anything complicated in 3-D. The samples he handed to visitors were mostly several-square-inch flat pieces. Does anybody know (and can talk about) whether explosively welded laminates ever found their way out of the lab and into equipment? The military potential is great, but I don't have any recent info on the progress that has been made or how the stuff compares with more-conventional armor. --Joe "Just another personal opinion from the People's Republic of Berkeley"
cbl@uihepa.hep.uiuc.edu (Chris Luchini) (09/27/90)
From: cbl@uihepa.hep.uiuc.edu (Chris Luchini) In article <1990Sep24.001059.22117@cbnews.att.com>, jtchew@csa2.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW) writes: > > >From: jtchew@csa2.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW) > [explosive laminates....] >Does anybody know (and can talk about) whether explosively welded >laminates ever found their way out of the lab and into equipment? >The military potential is great, but I don't have any recent info >on the progress that has been made or how the stuff compares with >more-conventional armor. They are being used as strike plates for body armor. The ones I've been told about are 11mm thick, and will hold up against 20 rounds of AP 30-06 (manufactures claim), and single hits of 50 cal ball (I'd like to see it in person before I believe it). Price was in the $1-2k+ range, and it was sold to police/military only. I'll see if I can dig up some more info from the guy who told me this stuff. -Chris -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |I love my country, I fear its government |Are you registered to Vote? | | Chris Luchini/1110 W. Green/Urbana IL 61801/217-333-0505 | | Cluch@fnald.bitnet cbl@uihep.hep.uiuc.edu| | --------------------------------------------------------------------------