HAFNIUM-BASED BULK METALLIC GLASSES FOR KINETIC ENERGY PENETRATORS

A new family of quinary, hafnium-based, bulk-metallic-glass-forming alloys has been developed for use in composite kinetic-energy penetrators. The alloys are based on an invariant point identified in the hafnium-copper-nickel ternary system. They are denser than zirconium-based glass-forming compositions, and exhibit a higher reduced glass-transition temperature than alloys prepared by 1:1 hafnium substitution into the zirconium-based alloys. The combination of density and glass-forming ability exhibited by this alloy moves the composite technology closer to being a viable substitute for depleted-uranium penetrators.