An improved high-temperature shock compression and recovery system using underwater shock wave for dynamic compaction of powders

A high-temperature shock compression system using converging underwater sho ck waves has been developed and the performance is under attempted improvem ent in the present investigation. A maximum temperature of 1100 degrees C w as obtained, and the use of PBX explosive with detonation velocity of 8.5 k m s(-1) gave us the higher shock pressure. Also, scaling up the size of the experimental apparatus especially in the size of explosive made possible a n increase in the duration of shock pressure. Small fragments of consolidat ed diamond powders were recovered due to difficulty of recovery of the new system, but the sample showed Very high Vickers hardness above 60 GPa. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.