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Surface modification is used to dramatically alter the thermal properties of a bulk metallic material. Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are typically applied using spray deposition or laser-based techniques to create a ceramic coating on a metal substrate. In this study, an effective TBC is created directly on a metallic substrate by inducing surface chemical reactions. Aluminum-zirconium (Al-Zr) substrates are used to induce surface-limited reactions that produce a 75-80% decrease in bulk thermal conductivity and diffusivity, respectively. The substrates are cylindrical disks 12.6 mm diameter and 2 mm thickness. Thermal properties are measured using laser flash analysis (LFA) at incrementally elevated temperatures. Focused ion beam (FIB) slicing of the substrate coupled with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) show that the substrate oxidized only along the outer 20 μm of the bulk surface. The layer thickness is significantly less than typical TBCs that can range from 50 to 300 μm yet the 20 μm coating still achieves a dramatic reduction in thermal transport properties. Additionally, thermal analysis reveals a sequence of exothermic reactions starting at 439 °C that include both intermetallic (i.e., ZrAl3) and oxidation (i.e., Al2O3 and ZrO) reactions suggesting continuous surface bonding at the coating-metal interface. The onset of exothermic activity coincides with the transition in thermal properties measured using LFA. These results show that surface oxidation reactions could be used to dramatically alter the thermal transport properties of a metal substrate.

Intermetallic (aluminum and zirconium) and thermite (aluminum and molybdenum trioxide) projectiles were launched using a high velocity impact ignition testing system. The experiments were designed to simulate reactivity in high (argon) and low (air) altitude environments. The projectiles were launched into a chamber that included a steel target plate for projectile penetration before impacting a rear witness plate. The chamber was semi-sealed and instrumented for quasi-static pressure data. The results provide an understanding of energy release from the projectile materials and of the environmental influence on performance. The transient pressure traces provide insight into reaction kinetics. A bifurcation in transient pressure rise was an indication of a shift in reaction kinetics from the inherent reactive material to metal oxidation with the environment. The bifurcation was delayed by about 0.15 ms for the intermetallic relative to the thermite, evidence that the thermite reaction proceeded faster upon impact than the intermetallic. The two-step process (impact ignition of the reactive material followed by metal oxidation) was shown to produce higher energy conversion efficiencies than projectiles composed of pure fuel (i.e., aluminum) reported previously. Both reactive materials showed energy conversion efficiencies greater than 30% (for air) and 50% (for argon), and an explanation of underestimated efficiency and energy losses is provided. These results have implications for advancing formulations for ballistic applications. Structural reactive materials can be used to modify the effective reactivity of metal-containing formulations in varied atmospheric environments.

Thermal analyses of projectile impact and subsequent combustion are investigated for aluminum projectiles using a high-velocity impact ignition system. Temperature measurements are compared using pyrometry and thermography. The implementation of these techniques is discussed, as well as their benefits and limitations in ballistic experiments. Results show pyrometry is best for measuring temperatures in the immediate vicinity surrounding the impact location, while thermography better quantifies temperature dissipation downstream from impact as the combusting debris cloud disperses. Temperatures comparable to the predicted adiabatic flame temperature are observed with the pyrometer. For thermography, emphasis is placed on the treatment of emissivity in temperature calculations. Three combustion stages are identified in the thermography data and attributed to 1) ignition and growth of the combustion front, 2) thermal dissipation due to initial particle burnout, and 3) a slower dissipation stage caused by reduced heat exchange between the burning debris cloud and surroundings.

Experiments were performed to study penetration through multiple aluminum plates followed by impact into an inert steel anvil using a High-velocity Impact-ignition Testing System (HITS). The projectiles are intermetallic pellets launched from a propellant driven gun into a catch chamber equipped with view ports and imaging diagnostics. Penetration, impact and reaction are monitored using high-speed cameras that provide local and macroscopic perspectives of projectile and target interaction as well as overall reactivity. Results demonstrate the range of visual data that can be captured by a non-gas generating intermetallic projectile that fragments and reacts upon penetration and impact. Results show that higher velocity projectiles (~ 1300 and 800 m/s) produce smaller fragments upon target penetration that result in flame spreading through the chamber upon impact while lower velocity projectiles (~ 500 m/s) negligibly fragment upon target penetration and produce no flames even upon anvil impact.

A high-velocity impact-ignition testing system was used to study the dynamic response of brittle thermite projectiles impacting an inert steel target at velocities of 850 and 1200 m/s. The projectiles included consolidated aluminum and bismuth trioxide that were launched by a propellant driven gun into a catch chamber equipped with high-speed imaging diagnostics. The projectiles passed through a break-screen at the entrance to the chamber and either fragmented upon penetrating the break-screen or remained intact prior to impacting the steel target. In all cases, the projectiles pulverized upon impact, and a reacting debris cloud spreads through the catch chamber. At lower impact velocities, the fragmented and intact projectiles produced similar flame spreading rates of 217–255 m/s. At higher impact velocities, the intact projectile produced the slowest average flame spreading rate of 179 m/s because debris rebounding was limited by the length of the projectile and the resulting debris field was highly consolidated in the radial direction. In contrast, the fragmented projectile rebounded into a well dispersed debris cloud with the highest, 353 m/s, flame spreading rate. A kinetic energy flux threshold was proposed as a means for describing the shift in observed debris dispersion and flame spreading rates. A reactivity model was developed based on particle burn times using a computational fluid dynamics code that incorporated heat transfer and particle combustion in a multiphase environment to understand how the particle size influenced flame spreading. Results from the model show a trade-off between faster reactivity and increased drag inhibiting movement for smaller particle debris.

A High-velocity Impact-ignition Testing System (HITS) was developed to study the dynamic response of intermetallic projectiles penetrating through two aluminum plates at impact velocities up to 1300 m/s. The intermetallic projectiles are contained in a 0.410 caliber shot gun shell and launched from a propellant driven gun into a catch chamber equipped with view ports and imaging diagnostics. Penetration, impact, and reaction are monitored using high-speed cameras that provide macroscopic and localized perspectives of projectile and target interaction. Several key results include the following. The first-plate penetration of the projectile follows well established ballistic curve fits. Subsequent plate penetration shows significant deviations attributed to projectile damage resulting from the first plate impact. The damage imparted to the projectile transitions from significant plastic deformation to severe fragmentation as impact velocity increases. Penetration of the aluminum target plate is significantly affected by the fragmentation field and show a 45% increase in rupture size at the highest impact velocity case. Combustion within the fragmented projectile is observed starting at 850 m/s. These results show the transition in dynamic interaction between multiple target plates at increasing projectile impact velocity.