Substructure Evolution in Energetic-Driven Spherically Shock-Loaded Copper

Post-shock-recovered metallurgical analysis of solid metal spheres shock loaded via spherical energetic(HE) loading provides a unique opportunity to quantify the substructure evolution in a material subjected to converging Taylor-wave (triangular-shock pulse) loading. In this paper detailed quantitative metallographic, orientation-imaging microscopy (OIM), and texture analysis is presented characterizing the gradient in substructure generated in Cu subjected to a spherical HE shock loading pulse at VNIIEF. The substructure in the recovered sphere is seen to include: 1) a spherical cavity generated in the center of the sphere due to shock-wave convergence and release, displaying ductile dimpled failure and no evidence of melting, 2) a gradient in deformation (slip and deformation twins) from the center outward to the surface, and 3) numerous shear cracks and/or spall planes. The substructure evolution is discussed relative to that previously observed in Cu shock prestrained via either 1-D triangular-shaped shockwave loading or 1-D square-topped pulse shock loading