Tensile strength of five metals and alloys in the nanosecond load durationrange at normal and elevated temperatures

The paper presents results of measurements of the resistance to tensile fra cture at spallation in nickel, cobalt, stainless steel, AlMg6% alloy, and I nconel IN 738 LC alloy. In the experiments carried out with a high-power io n beam as a shock-wave generator the load pulse duration was in the range o f 50 ns. The measurements were performed at peak stresses varying by a fact or up to 2 which had no influence on the dynamic tensile strength of the ma terials tested. For cobalt and Inconel measurements were also done at eleva ted temperatures. Whereas the response of cobalt was practically insensitiv e to temperature, IN 738 LC demonstrated a transition from viscous to relat ively brittle fracture accompanied by a significant increase of the spall s trength at higher temperatures. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.