BULK NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS OBTAINED BY SHOCK WAVES COMPACTION OF ULTRAFINE TITANIUM AND ALUMINUM

Theoretical and experimental Investigations of shock wave consolidation processes of Ti-Al nano sized and ultra-disperse powder compositions are discussed. For theoretical calculations of the shock wave loaded materials were used the hydrodynamic theory and experimental adiabatic of Ti and Al. The normal and tangential stresses in the cylindrical steel tube (containers of Ti-Al reaction mixtures) were estimated using the partial solutions of elasticity theory. The mixtures of ultra-disperse Ti and nano sized (≤ 50nm) Al powder compositions were consolidated to full or near-full density by explosive-compaction technology. The ammonium nitride based industrial explosives were used for generation of shock waves. To form ultra-fine grained bulk TiAl intermetallics with different compositions, ultra-disperse Ti particles were mixed with nano-crystalline Al. Each reaction mixture was placed in a sealed container and explosively compacted using a normal and cylindrical detonation set-up. Explosive compaction experiments were performed in range of pressure impulse (5-20) GPa. X-ray diffraction (XRD), structural investigations (SEM) and micro-hardness measurements were used to characterize the intermetallics phase composition and mechanical properties. The results of analysis revealing the effects of the compacting conditions and precursor particles sizes, affecting the consolidation and the properties of this new ultra high performance alloys are discussed.