Impact-induced initiation thresholds of polytetrafluoroethylene/Al composite by gas gun

Impact experiments by a gas gun were conducted to investigate the impact-induced initiation thresholds of a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)/Al composite using targets of steel, aluminum and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) materials and sample rods of four different lengths. By subjecting the samples under different loading conditions, it is shown that the impact-induced initiation of PTFE/Al is determined by both the impact pressure and the loading strain rate. The impact pressure and the strain rate thresholds for initiation were arrested by the experiments and the impacting process of the samples was modeled to compare the experimental and theoretical data. Based on all the experimental results, a theoretical curve was proposed to predict the impact-induced initiation of PTFE/Al under normal impact. The method proposed in this research can also be used in the study of other energetic materials.