Development of Steel Wire Rope – Reinforced Aluminium Composite for Armour Material Using the Squeeze Casting Process

Abstract:

Steel wire rope – reinforced aluminium composite - has been developed to improve the ballistic properties and mobility of armour material. Critical to obtaining ballistic resistance is that the materials must be sufficiently hard and strong, especially at the surface where a projectile will first make impact. To obtain this resistance, aluminium alloys can be strengthened by adding Cu and Mg. This research studied the ballistic properties of aluminium composites with varied Cu and Mg content. The matrix used in this study was an Al-7Si master alloy with 0.08-1.03 wt. % Mg and 0.05-3.75 wt. % Cu, both independently and in combination. A high carbon steel wire rope was used as strengthening material. The samples were produced through the squeeze casting process with a pressure of 1 MPa at semi-solid melting temperatures of 590-610 °C. The slab was then rolled for 10 % reduction to increase the hardness. Ballistic testing was performed in accordance with ASTM F1233 by using a 9 mm calibre projectile and 90⁰ direction. Micro structural observation was conducted in the as-cast and ballistic samples, performed with optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that squeeze casting may improve interfacial wettability and reduce void. The increase in Mg resulted in the decline of interfacial voids, but Cu addition tended to increase them. The aluminium armour was able to withstand a 9 mm calibre projectile, although some cracks were visible. The wire rope was not effective in stopping the penetration of a 7.62 mm calibre projectile.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 277)
• Pages: 27-35
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.277.27
• Online since: July 2011
• Authors: Dwi Rahmalina, Bondan Tiara Sofyan, Bambang Suharno, Eddy S. Siradj
• Keywords: Armour Material, Ballistic, Squeeze Casting, Steel Wire Rope

References

[1] B. Srivatsha, N. Ramakrishnan: On The Ballistic Performance of The Metallic Materials, Bulletin of Material Science, Vol. 20, no. 1, (1997), pp.111-123.

[2] B. Srivathsa, N. Ramakrishnan: Ballistic Performance Maps for Thick Metallic Armour, Journal of Materials Processing Technology, Vol. 96, (1999), pp.81-91.

DOI: 10.1016/s0924-0136(99)00270-8

[3] A.P. Newbery, , S.R. Nutt, E.J. Lavernia: Multi-scale Al 5083 for Military Vehicles with Improved Performance, JOM, (2006), p.56 – 61.

DOI: 10.1007/s11837-006-0216-4

[4] T. Lin, Q. Yang, C. Tan, B. Liu and A. McDonald: Processing and Ballistic Performance of Lightweight Armors based on Ultra-fine-grain Aluminium Composites, J. Mater. Sci., 43, (2008), p.7344 – 7348.

DOI: 10.1007/s10853-008-2977-3

[5] M. Cohen: Laminated Armor, U.S. Patent 6497966, (2001).

[6] E. di Russo, M. Burrati, S. Veronelli: Aluminium Alloys Composite Plates, US Patent 4426429, (1981).

[7] G. Lasker: Armor, U.S. Patent 44264294111097, (1974).

[8] Annel Lisse Dons, et al.: On the Effect of Additions of Cu and Mg on the Ductillity of AlSi Foundry Alloy Cast with A Cooling Rate of Approximately 3 K/s, Materials Science and Engineering A, 413-414, (2005), pp.561-566.

DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2005.09.053

[9] B.R. Sorensen, K.D. Kimsey, B.M. Love: High-Velocity Impact of Low-Density Projectiles on Structural Aluminium Armor, " International Journal of Impact Engineering, Vol. 35, issue 12, (2008), pp.1808-1815.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2008.07.077

[10] Sebastian Balos, Vencislav Grabulov, Leposava Sidjanin, Mladen Pantic: Wire Fence as Applique Armour, Materials and Design, 31, (2010), pp.1293-1301.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2009.09.013

[11] T.R. Vijarayam, et al.: Fabrication of Fiber Reinforced Metal Matrix Composite by Squeeze Casting Technology, Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 178, (2006), pp.34-38.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2005.09.026

[12] Dieringa Hajo, Norbert Hort and Karl Ulrich Kainer: Magnesium Based MMCs Reinforced with C-Fibers, The Azo Journal of Materials Online, September (2005).

[13] Mohd. Noor, Mazlee, et al.: Microstructural Study of Al-Si-Mg Alloy Reinforced with Stainless Steel Wires Composite via Casting Technique, American Journal of Applied Sciences 5(6), (2008), pp.721-725.

DOI: 10.3844/ajassp.2008.721.725

[14] ______, Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor NIJ standard-0101. 05., U.S. Department of Justice, (2008).

[15] F.L. Matthews, dan R. D Rawlijns, in: Composite Material: Engineering & Science. Chapman & Hall, London, (1994).

[16] ______, ASM Handbook Volume 21: Composites. ASM International, The Materials Information Company, (1992).

[17] Hallstedt Bengt and Schneider Jochen M.: A Simple Approach to Pressure Dependence, Examplified in the Al-Mg-Si System, Materials Chemystry, RWTH Aachen, Germany, Paper 2. 8., (2004).

[18] C.H. Ca'ceres: The Effect of Cu Content on The Level of Microporosity in Al-Si-Cu-Mg Casting Alloys, Scripta Materialia, Vol. 40, no. 5, (1999), p.631–637.

DOI: 10.1016/s1359-6462(98)00492-8