J. Phys. IV France 110 (2003) 929
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:20020813

On the Strength of -titanium aluminides during shock loading

J.C.F. Millett¹, N.K. Bourne¹, G.T. Gray III² and I.P. Jones<sup>3

1</sup>  Royal Military College of Science, Cranfield University, Shrivenham, Swindon SN6 8LA, U.K.
²  MST-8, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, NM 87545, U.S.A.
³  Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.

Abstract
The shock induced mechanical response of two -titanium aluminides has been investigated using the technique of plate impact. It has been found that the HEL, spall strength and shear strengths are all dependent upon the initial microstructure, with the material possessed of the duplex microstructure being the stronger. This is in agreement with quasi-static measurements. Shear strength has been observed to increase rapidly with increasing longitudinal stress. more so than in Ti-6AI-4V. indicating that the high degree of work hardening is an important factor in determining the shear strength of metallic and intermetallic materials.

© EDP Sciences 2003