Single crystal tungsten penetrator and method of making

Abstract

High density single crystal penetrators are made from tungsten or from alloys containing at least 90% tungsten, and a remainder of essentially tantalum, rhenium, niobium, molybdenum or a mixture thereof. The penetrator will generally be circular in cross-section and have a length to diameter ratio of at least about 10 to 1, with the single crystal body being aligned so the crystalline axis having the [100] orientation is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the penetrator. A penetrator having such desired crystalline characteristics can be formed by CVD about a heated substrate of body-centered cubic crystal material. One particularly efficient process utilizes static CVD in a closed chamber and employs a solid feedstock of polycrystalline tungsten material.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 046,096, filed Jan. 11, 2002, which was a continuation of International Application No. PCT / US00 / 19031, filed Jul. 12, 2000, which claimed priority from U.S. Ser. No. 60 / 143,827, filed Jul. 13, 1999, the disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.[0002] There may be environmental and occupational hazards associated with the manufacture, deployment and use of depleted uranium (DU) as a ballistic penetrator. It would be desirable to have an alternative, benign material having penetration characteristics at least about equal to DU. [0003] When a penetrator interacts with armor, it generates an aerosol and particles which are respirable and which may reach the gas exchange region of the human lung. In addition, penetrator impact fragments are deposited into the soil and can eventually find their way into the human food chain. DU is known to be toxic to the kidney, and it is also theoretically car...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018] Also provided are methods for economically and efficiently producing such high density penetrators using CVD. By using an appropriate single crystal substrate and CVD, it has been found that a single crystal body suitable for use as a high density penetrator can be fabr

Problems solved by technology

There may be environmental and occupational hazards associated with the manufacture, deployment and use of depleted uranium (DU) as a ballistic penetrator.

DU is known to be toxic to the kidney, and it is also theoretically carcinogenic because of its residual radioactivity.

Known tungsten heavy alloys, besides being inferior in penetration performance versus DU, contain nickel and cobalt alloying constituents that are also known to be toxic.

As a result of the foregoing, the testing of munitions with DU penetrators is limited to a few testing ranges within the U.S., and essentially, warfighters cannot train with the actual ammunition they will use in wartime because of the severe restrictions placed on training exercises at even these limited testing ranges in the U.S. After DU munitions are used in war (e.g. Desert Storm), a subsequent cleanup effort should be conduct

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