Keyed‐powder gun for the oblique‐impact shock study of solids in several 10 s of GPa region

Experimental equipment for the precise oblique‐impact shock study of solids in several 10 s of GPa region was developed. A powder gun with a keyed launcher (keyed‐powder gun), which is capable of accelerating projectiles of 20–40 g in weight without rotation to velocities of even greater than 2 km/s, was produced for the first time. The gun has a double‐wall structure launcher with a key whose muzzle shape resembles an old moon (basic bore diameter is 27 mm). Measurement of projectile velocities in the launcher by the reflected‐light method, including a logic trigger circuit for shock‐wave measurements, is combined with this gun. It was confirmed that the parallel‐plate impact experiment (normal type or oblique type), in which the tilt angle of parallel plates is less than 0.18° could be performed, allowing precise measurements of impact velocity and shock‐wave data by electrical and optical methods. Further, the keyed‐powder gun should find other widespread applications, e.g., for hypervelocity‐aerodynamic simulation study.