Research On Casting Steel Cladding Ceramic Composite Armour Materials

With the development of high-tech modern warfare, the performance of armour materials have become increasingly demanding. Ceramic-steel composite armour materials could not only meet high strength, hardness and toughness, but also lightweight and hitting capability. High-strength steel cladding ceramic composite armour materials were considered as composite armour materials of new structures, which had the superior performance of both metals and ceramics. The ceramic was fixed by boundary binding of completely encapsulating metal face layer, metal backup layer and frame. Even in high impact continuous fracture under the action of bullets, there were only cracks, so that the bullet-proof performance had been improved, especially its repeat hitting capability.However, the existing preparation processes of cladding ceramic composite armour materials were complex, high-cost and difficult to control. Cladding casting was a low-cast process which was simple-technology and controllable. Therefore, the study of cladding casting preparation process of of steel-ceramic composite armour materials and avoiding ceramic cracking were of great significance.Research objective of this paper is cladding casting preparation process of steel-ceramic composite armour materials. In this paper, selection of casting process, fixing of ceramic, shell structure and preheating method had all been designed by method of combining experiments and simulation analysis. The state of stress ceramic was simulated by the casting simulation software ProCAST during investment casting to determine under what maximum temperature difference between preheating temperature and casting temperature ceramic could remain whole. Casting experiment had been done to validate it. Main contents of this research were as follows:1. Use investment casting experiment of high-strength steel cladding 95Al2O3ceramic composite armors materials to stuy cladding casting preparation process of steel-ceramic composite armour materials.2. Through searching for papers, the database needed in simulation was been created, simulation model was been built.3. Through analysis of model simulations results, the influences of ceramic thickness, temperature difference between preheating temperature and casting temperature was discussed.4. Through analysis of influence factors of thermal stress of ceramic, under what maxim-um temperature difference between preheating temperature and casting temperature ceramic could remain whole was discussed. Casting experiment had been done to validate it.Comprehensive analysis of experimental results, some conclusions are drawn below:1. Cladding casting preparation process of steel-ceramic composite armour materials was were proved feasible through controlling temperature difference between preheating temperature when casting temperature selection of casting process, fixing of ceramic, shell structure and preheating method had been designed.2. The thermal stress caused by temperature difference between preheating temperature was the main reason of ceramic cracking, thickness of ceramic even had no effect. When the thermal stress caused by temperature difference between preheating temperature and casting temperature was greater than the tensile strength 280MPa, ceramic cracked in the process of casting. Low difference value between preheating temperature and casting temperature could reduce ceramic’s thermal stress and the probability of ceramic ceramic’s chipping.3. Ceramic fracture didn’t occur when temperature difference value between preheating temperature and casting temperature lower than 90℃, which caused thermal stress value lower than 280MPa. The higher the melting point of cladding mental was, the higher casting temperature was, the lower temperature difference value was.4. The influences of temperature difference value between preheating temperature and casting temperature was verified by aluminum alloy investment Casting. Ceramic fracture didn’t occur when temperature difference value between preheating temperature and casting temperature lower than 400℃ when the cladding metal was aluminium alloy.