Vacuum Furnance and Diamond Saw for Processing of Covalent Armor Ceramics and Composites

摘要

The grant from Defense University Research Instrumentation Program was used to purchase and install diamond wire saw and vacuum furnace at Advanced Powder Processing Lab at MAE Department, UCSD. The installation of this equipment added very important components to the existing equipment at Advanced Powder Processing Lab at MAE Department, UCSD which now has Hot isostatic Pressing unit, Warm and Cold Isostatic Pressing units, 2 vacuum furnaces (low and high temperatures), diamond wire saw, glove box and Struers polishing and cutting machines. Currently they are actively used for processing of high gradient meal/ceramic porous composites for MURI Program. Addition of high temperature vacuum furnace opens a new technological route (sintering + HIP) for processing of covalent ceramics for ballistic applications. It win also enhance ability to educate the future engineers for industry oriented on ceramic armor and other applications. Diamond wire saw helps to overcome extreme difficulties of sectioning of composite targets with ceramics inside and with remnants of penetrators usually made from high strength materials. Advanced Powder Processing Lab at MAE Department, UCSD now is able to solve efficiently many problems connected with processing of powder-based homogeneous and heterogeneous materials for DoD needs including armor structures and other applications.