Method of manufacture of composite armor material
AssigneeModumetal, Inc.
InventorsJohn D. Whitaker, Christina Lomasney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An armor material and method of manufacturing utilize nano- and/or microlaminate materials. In one embodiment, the armor material comprises a layered composite material including a strike face, a core layer, and a spall liner. The strike face achieves hardness and toughness by the controlled placement of hard and tough constituent materials through the use of nano- and/or microlaminate materials. The core layer achieves energy absorption through the use of nano- or microlaminated coated compliant materials. The spall liner provides reinforcement through the use of nano- or microlaminated fiber reinforced panels. In one embodiment, nano- and/or microlaminated materials can be manufactured through the use of electrodeposition techniques.
Claims15
A method for producing a composite armor material comprising a strike face region, a core region, and a spall liner region, the method comprising:
- i) providing an electrolyte containing one or more electrodepositable species;
- ii) providing a reticulated foam porous substrate;
- iii) immersing the porous substrate in the electrolyte;
- iv) passing an electric current through the porous substrate so as to deposit a metal material onto the porous substrate and changing one or more plating parameters in predetermined durations between a first value which is known to produce a material with one property and a second value known to produce a nanolaminate metal material or a microlaminate metal material with a second property to form a portion of the core region comprising the reticulated foam and a nanolaminate metal material or a microlaminate metal material applied to said foam, either of which is formed from the one or more electrodepositable species by passing the electric current through the porous substrate;
- wherein at least a portion of said strike face region is produced by electrodepositing a tough metal phase through one or more ceramic tiles;
- and
- wherein said spall liner region comprises fibers and a nanolaminate metal material or a microlaminate metal material, in which
- a) the fibers are reinforced with a sheath formed of a nanolaminate metal material,
- b) the fibers are disposed within a matrix of a nanolaminate metal material,
- c) the fibers are present within a panel having the fibers as part of a woven fabric within a polymer matrix, where the exterior of the panel is reinforced with a nanolaminate metal coating or a microlaminate metal coating, or
- d) the fibers, which are reinforced with a nanolaminate metal sheath, are present within a panel having the fibers as part of the woven fabric within a polymer matrix, where the exterior of the panel is reinforced with a nanolaminate metal coating or a microlaminate metal coating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.