Composite Solid Armature Consolidation by Pulse Power Processing: A Novel Homopolar Generator Application in EML Technology

Graded electrical resistance and assured sliding contact are among the desirable characteristics for the solid armatures used in railguns attainable through the use of composite materials. Metal-metal, metal-ceramic, and metal-polymer composites are generic types of potential solid armature materials. The authors describe the production of these composites by a novel experimental approach that uses a homopolar generator in a pulse-powered materials consolidation system. The processing of copper-tungsten and aluminium-alumina composites is used to demonstrate versatility of the homopolar generator as a materials processing tool. Powder metallurgy and laminate bonding approaches have been utilized. Composite solid armature materials have been consolidated with subsecond high-temperature exposure. Densification in the solid state proceeds by a warm/hot forging mechanism, and fully dense composites are obtained by a combined application of pressure and a controlled energy input