Ultralight ceramic armor materials based on nanostructural mechanoactivated boron carbide powder

• Published in: Nanotechnologies in Russia Vol. 3; no. 3-4; pp. 209 - 213
• Main Authors: Kremenchugskii, M. V., Savkin, G. G., Malinov, V. I., Rachkovskii, A. I., Smorchkov, G. Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01-04-2008
• Subjects: Chemistry and Materials Science; Experiment; Industrial and Production Engineering; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials Science; Nanotechnology; Processes; Transmission Electron Micro; Rear Side; Armor State; Boron Carbide; Milled Powder
• ISSN: 1995-0780; 1995-0799
• DOI: 10.1134/S1995078008030075

A nanodimensional powder of doped boron carbide has been obtained by means of mechanoactivation in a planetary centrifugal mill and used to produce a nanostructural ceramic material by hot pressing at a temperature of 1900°C and a pressure of 30 MPa. Investigation of a combination of mechanical properties of the nanostructural ceramics showed its advantage over a material obtained using the traditional ceramic technology from the same (micron-sized) initial boron carbide powder. A ballistic armor structure containing the new nanostructural ceramics possesses improved protective properties, which have been confirmed by shooting tests. The introduction of a front layer of the nanostructural ceramics into a test armor structure significantly increased its bullet resistance as compared to that of an analogous structure with a ceramics manufactured using the traditional technology.