FRAGMENTATION AND DISPERSION OF ALUMINUM NITRIDE CERAMIC PLATES BY HYPERVELOCITY IMPACT

The present paper describes the fragmentation and dispersion of alumin um nitride ceramic plates by a hypervelocity projectile impact. A mang anese aluminide spherical magnet was used as a projectile, with a diam eter of 1 mm; it was accelerated by a so-called ''micro'' two-stage li ght gas gun in the velocity range of 3-4 km/s. The fragmentation of al uminum ni t ride plates was evaluated by characterizing the distributi on of fragments produced downrange behind the target plate. This fragm entation was then compared with that of aluminum alloy plates. In part icular, ring-type distributions of fragments were found in the fragmen tation of aluminum nitride ceramic plates. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science L td.