Nanocrystalline alloy penetrators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11644288-B2
Application number	US-201615268096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2016
Priority date	Sep 17, 2015
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

Nanocrystalline alloy penetrators and related methods are generally provided. In some embodiments, a munition comprises a nanocrystalline alloy penetrator. In certain embodiments, the nanocrystalline alloy has particular properties (e.g., grain size, grain isotropy, mechanical properties) such that the penetrator acts as a rigid body kinetic penetrator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A munition, comprising:
a propellant contained within a cavity of the munition; and
a penetrator;
wherein
the penetrator comprises a nanocrystalline alloy comprising at least one of:
metallic W and at least one of metallic V, metallic Sc, and metallic Cr; and
metallic Cr and at least one of metallic Pd and metallic Ni; and

the nanocrystalline alloy has a cross-sectional average grain size of less than or equal to about 100 nm.

2. The munition of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy does not contain iron or contains iron in an amount of less than 3.8 at%.

3. The munition of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy has grains with an aspect ratio of less than about 2.

4. The munition of claim 1 , wherein the penetrator is at least partially contained within a housing.

5. The munition of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy further comprises Ti.

6. A munition, comprising:
a propellant contained within a cavity of the munition; and
a penetrator comprising a nanocrystalline alloy comprising at least one of:
metallic W and at least one of metallic V, metallic Sc, and metallic Cr; and
metallic Cr and at least one of metallic Pd and metallic Ni;

wherein, when the penetrator is projected at and orthogonal to a 6061-T6511 Aluminum target and strikes the target at a velocity of 1 km/s, the penetrator has a first width prior to striking the target, and a second width after striking the target and coming to rest, the second width being less than about 105% of the first width.

7. The munition of claim 6 , wherein the second width is less than about 102% of the first width.

8. The munition of claim 6 , wherein the second width is less than about 101% of the first width.

9. A munition, comprising:
a propellant contained within a cavity of the munition; and
a penetrator comprising a nanocrystalline alloy comprising at least one of:
metallic W and at least one of metallic V, metallic Sc, and metallic Cr; and
metallic Cr and at least one of metallic Pd and metallic Ni;

wherein, when the penetrator is projected at and orthogonal to a 6061-T6511 Aluminum target and strikes the target at a velocity of 1 km/s, the penetrator has a first length prior to striking the target, and a second length after striking the target and coming to rest, the second length being within about 5% of the first length.

10. The munition of claim 9 , wherein the second length is within about 2% of the first length.

11. The munition of claim 9 , wherein the second length is within about 1% of the first length.

12. The munition of claim 6 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy has a cross-sectional average grain size of less than or equal to about 100 nm.

13. The munition of claim 6 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy comprises 0 at% to about 3.8 at% Fe.

14. The munition of claim 13 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy comprises less than or equal to about 2 at% Fe.

15. The munition of claim 13 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy comprises between about 0.1 at% and about 3.8 at% Fe.

16. The munition of claim 9 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy comprises both W and Cr in a solid solution.

17. The munition of claim 9 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy further comprises Ti.

18. The munition of claim 9 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy has a relative density of at least about 75%.

19. The munition of claim 9 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy has a cross-sectional average grain size of less than or equal to about 100 nm.

20. The munition of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy comprises metallic W.

21. The munition of claim 20 , wherein the metallic W is present in an amount of at least 40 at%.

22. The munition of claim 20 , wherein the nanocrystalline alloy comprises metallic Cr in solid solution with the metallic W.

23. The munition of claim 1 , wherein the penetrator comprises a nanocrystalline alloy comprising metallic W and at least one of metallic V, metallic Sc, and metallic Cr.

24. The munition of claim 23 , wherein the penetrator comprises a nanocrystalline alloy comprising metallic W and metallic Cr.

25. The munition of claim 1 , wherein the penetrator comprises a nanocrystalline alloy comprising metallic Cr and at least one of metallic Pd and metallic Ni.

26. The munition of claim 6 , wherein the penetrator comprises a nanocrystalline alloy comprising metallic W and at least one of metallic V, metallic Sc, and metallic Cr.

27. The munition of claim 26 , wherein the penetrator comprises a nanocrystalline alloy comprising metallic W and metallic Cr.

28. The munition of claim 6 , wherein the penetrator comprises a nanocrystalline alloy comprising metallic Cr and at least one of metallic Pd and metallic Ni.

29. The munition of claim 9 , wherein the penetrator comprises a nanocrystalline alloy comprising metallic W and at least one of metallic V, metallic Sc, and metallic Cr.

30. The munition of claim 29 , wherein the penetrator comprises a nanocrystalline alloy comprising metallic W and metallic Cr.

31. The munition of claim 9 , wherein the penetrator comprises a nanocrystalline alloy comprising metallic Cr and at least one of metallic Pd and metallic Ni.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Schuh Christopher A
• Cordero Zachary Copoulos
• Park Mansoo

Classifications

• F42B12/74

  of the core or solid body · CPC title

• F42B12/06 Primary

  with hard or heavy core; Kinetic energy penetrators (F42B12/16, F42B12/74 take precedence) · CPC title

• C22C27/04

  Alloys based on tungsten or molybdenum · CPC title

• F42B14/061

  Sabots for long rod fin stabilised kinetic energy projectiles, i.e. multisegment sabots attached midway on the projectile · CPC title

• C22F1/18

  High-melting or refractory metals or alloys based thereon · CPC title