Tungsten Alloy Properties Relevant to Kinetic Energy Penetrator Performance

摘要

This work reviews developments in tungsten alloys for kinetic energy penetratorapplications. The density, toughness and cost of tungsten alloys make them suitable for a range of penetrator applications, from fragments and small calibre, low length to diameter (L/D) ratio projectiles to large calibre, and L/D>20 penetrators designed to defeat heavy armour. For low L/D applications, much alloy development is directed at increasing the resistance to projectile mass loss in very high velocity impacts, by increasing tungsten alloy toughness, although mechanisms of projectile attrition under these circumstances are not fully understood. For high L/D applications, tungsten alloys perform consistently slightly worse than depleted uranium (DU), approximately 8 to 10% less in depth of penetration tests. Magness 1 proposes a correlation of this poorer performance with broader penetration craters for tungsten alloy, associated with greater difficulty in attrition of extruded material at the nose of the penetrator. Hence for these penetrators there is a considerable alloy development exercise which is aimed towards increasing the susceptibility of tungsten alloys to shear instability as a means of easy erosion. At the heart of understanding the factors which influence penetrator performance, and the tests and properties which measure these factors, are microstructural investigations which can systematically guide development. Quantitative metallographic investigations have proven particularly useful in the investigation of tungsten alloy processing/microstructure/property relationships and testing in relation to ballistic requirements. (MM).