Hypervelocity impact damage to Ti-6Al-4V meshes reinforced Al-6Mg alloy matrix composites

An Al-6Mg alloy matrix composite reinforced with Ti-6Al-4V meshes was fabricated by pressure infiltration method; its damage behaviors impacted by hypervelocity aluminum projectiles were investigated. Results showed that the thin Ti_f/Al-6Mg composite target exhibits better protection efficiency and energy absorption ability than Al-6Mg alloy target. With projectile sizes increasing, bulge and spallation were observed on the back of the composite target. The Ti-6Al-4V meshes were tensed and deformed drastically in the spallation region, where micro-damages such as interfacial debonding and cracks were dominant. Shear localization was the primary failure characteristic for thin Al-6Mg alloy target. The adiabatic shear bands were observed near the crater of Al-6Mg alloy, not in Ti_f/Al-6Mg composite target. It was ascribed to the Ti-Al interfacial bonding strength and the high temperature strength for Ti-6Al-4V alloy.