Explosive Fabrication of Composite Materials

Abstract

FIBRE or filament reinforcement of metals is usually carried out by the conventional processes of hot rolling, vacuum infiltration or diffusion bonding of the reinforcement with the matrix metal¹. There is a danger that the high temperature attained in such processes, if maintained for a long time, will cause a reaction between matrix and reinforcement with the production of inter-metallic compounds and possible weakening of the composite. There is also the problem of preventing the formation of oxide films when the use of fluxes or inert atmospheres are undesirable or inconvenient. We suggest that high pressure bonding by means of an explosive would avoid these types of reaction, because the shock temperature rise is of short duration and the residual temperature is only of the order of tens of degrees.