Investigation on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of electromagnetic rail material in a launch environment

The failure issue of electromagnetic railgun rails is a widely researched problem, but effective research methods are lacking in studying the microstructure of rail materials. The high current and high strain rate tensile (HCHST) testing platform was designed to simulate the high current density and high strain rate deformation service conditions of pure copper rails used in electromagnetic guns. The microstructural and mechanical properties of commercially pure copper were analyzed using TEM and EBSD under high current density (2680 A/mm²) and various high strain rates (ε̇=3404s⁻¹,ε̇=6808s⁻¹)using the HCHST test platform. The obtained results were then compared with those obtained from the as-received state and the quasi-static current-assisted tensile (QCAT) test. The findings indicate that the deformation mechanism of pure copper specimen under HCHST is similar to that of QCAT, where dislocation and slip are the main mechanisms. However, distinct differences in microstructure were observed. Specifically, a significant number of dislocation walls were present in the grains under QCAT, whereas numerous dislocation cells were formed in the grains under HCHST. In the high-current density environment of 2680 A/mm², as the strain rate increased, the number of dislocation cells increased while their size decreased. The grains became extremely refined, and the KAM value also increased. Furthermore, the Vickers hardness of pure copper significantly improved after undergoing the HCHST. Based on the experimental findings, it was observed that during the service process of the pure copper rail in electromagnetic railguns (under the influence of high current density and high strain rate deformation), the surface of the rail material experienced significant dislocation entanglement. This resulted in a significant increase in the strength and hardness of the surface of the rail with high strain rate deformation. However, the uneven distribution of strength and hardness throughout the surface layer of the rail eventually made it more susceptible to deformation and failure.