24-10-2012, 11:38 AM
Explosive Bonding of Refractory Metal Liners
ABSTRACT
TPL, Inc. has successfully bonded a pure tantalum liner to the inside of an M242 Bushmaster barrel using a
low-detonation- velocity explosive. This report examines the governing equations of the explosive bonding process as they
apply to this particular situation. The relevant properties of other higher strength tantalum alloys are examined to see if they
are suitable for explosive bonding. with the expectation that they would be better able to resist the wear forces at the rifled
bore surface. For all candidate materials. attention is paid to the values of critical impact pressure. the critical flow transition
velocity. the critical angle for jet formation. and maximum flyer plate velocity. Example plots are provided to indicate the
bounds of explosive welding parameters that will result in a good bond.