FABRICATION OF STRUCTURAL ARMOR

• US 20110300403A1
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: VECCHIO, KENNETH S., ROHATGI, AASHISH, KOSMATKA, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US13/205,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20110300403A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/635
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/023 Thermo-compression bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/10 Aluminium or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/14 Titanium or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12389 having variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1241 Nonplanar uniform thickness or nonlinear uniform diameter [e.g., L-shape]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12486 Laterally noncoextensive components [e.g., embedded, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12632 Four or more distinct components with alternate recurrence of each type component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12729 Group IIA metal-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12736 Al-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12743 Next to refractory [Group IVB, VB, or VIB] metal-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12806 Refractory [Group IVB, VB, or VIB] metal-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12819 Group VB metal-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12944 Ni-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12951 Fe-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12986 Adjacent functionally defined components

Abstract

Fabrication techniques for and examples of metallic composite materials with high toughness, high strength, and lightweight for various structural, armor, and structural-armor applications. For example, various advanced materials based on metallic-intermetallic laminate (MIL) composite materials are described, including materials with passive damping features and built-in sensors.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a metal substrate; and

a stack of alternating metal and intermetallic layers metallurgically bonded to one another and to a surface of the metal substrate, wherein each metal layer comprises a first metal and each intermetallic layer comprises an alloy of the first metal and a second metal, wherein thickness values of the layers in the stack are spatially graded.

2. The article as in claim 1, wherein the first metal comprises titanium.

3. The article as in claim 1, wherein the second metal comprises aluminum.

4. The article as in claim 1, wherein the first metal comprises a titanium alloy.

5. The article as in claim 1, wherein the first metal comprises titanium, the second metal comprises aluminum, and each intermetallic layer is titanium trialuminide.

6. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a substrate comprising a first metal;

a stack of alternating metal and intermetallic layers metallurgically bonded to one another and to a surface of the substrate, wherein each metal layer comprises the first metal and each intermetallic layer comprises a compound of the first metal and a second metal; and

a plurality of metal wires penetrating through the stack and each having a portion embedded in the substrate, each metal wire metallurgically bonded to the stack and substrate.

7. The article as in claim 6, wherein the first metal comprises titanium, and the second metal comprises aluminum.

8. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a stack of alternating metal and intermetallic layers metallurgically bonded to one another, wherein each metal layer comprises the first metal and each intermetallic layer comprises a compound of the first metal and a second metal; and

at least one sensor embedded in the stack operable to measure a parameter indicative of a condition of the stack.

9. The article as in claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises a vibration sensor.

10. The article as in claim 9, wherein the vibration sensor comprises a piezoelectric material.

11. The article as in claim 10, wherein the piezoelectric material comprises a lithium niobate crystal.

12. The article as in claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

13. The article as in claim 8, further comprising a control mechanism engaged to the stack to control the stack in response to a signal from the sensor.

14. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a stack of alternating metal and intermetallic layers metallurgically bonded to one another, wherein each metal layer comprises a first metal and each intermetallic layer comprises an alloy of the first metal and a second metal; and

a closed metal box enclosing the stack, wherein each inner wall of the closed metal box is metallurgically bonded to the stack.

15. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises titanium.

16. The article as in claim 15, wherein the second metal comprises aluminum.

17. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises a titanium alloy.

18. The article as in claim 15, wherein the first metal comprises titanium and the second metal comprises aluminum.

19. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises nickel.

20. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises a nickel alloy.

21. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises vanadium.

22. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises a vanadium alloy.

23. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises iron.

24. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises an iron alloy.

25. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises tantalum.

26. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises a tantalum alloy.

27. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises an aluminide-forming metal or alloy.

28. The article as in claim 15, wherein the second metal comprises an aluminum alloy.

29. The article as in claim 15, wherein the second metal comprises an aluminum metal matrix composite.

30. The article as in claim 15, wherein the second metal comprises an aluminum-infiltrate ceramic composite.

31. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises a metal or alloy that forms intermetallic compounds with magnesium, including aluminum and its alloys.

32. The article as in claim 15, wherein the second metal comprises magnesium.

33. The article as in claim 15, wherein the second metal comprises a magnesium alloy.

34. The article as in claim 15, wherein the second metal comprises a magnesium metal matrix composite.

35. The article as in claim 15, wherein the second metal comprises a magnesium-infiltrate ceramic composite.

36. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises a titanium alloy.

37. The article as in claim 14, wherein the first metal comprises titanium, the second metal comprises aluminum, and each intermetallic layer is titanium trialuminide.

38. The article as in claim 14, wherein each layer in the stack is planar.

39. The article as in claim 14, wherein at least part of the layers in the stack comprise corrugations.