| Destructive and non-destructive test methods were used to characterize an explosive bond between steel and a tantalum alloy within a composite gun tube. Also, residual stresses of the tantalum alloy donor tube were investigation via x-ray diffraction techniques prior to the explosive bonding process. After manufacture, a variety of methods were used to character the bond quality. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy was used to determine alloy composition across the bonded interface. Nano-hardness testing was used to measure material properties across the interface. Scanning electron microscopy and digital microscopy were used to view the profile of the bonded area. Destructive material testing was utilized to measure shear and tensile strength of the bond. Finally, ultrasonic C-scan techniques were used to create images of the bonded interface to locate regions of varying bond quality and to distinguish between good and poor bonds, respectively. |
