Mechanical Properties and Ballistic Performance of As-cast Titanium Alloys

A series of experiments were conducted on as-cast titanium alloys β20C, TC4, TA15 and TA18, including the ballistic test, the dynamic compression test, the quasi-static tensile test, as well as the quasi-static compression test. Based on the experiments, factors affecting the ballistic performance of as-cast titanium alloys were compared. Results show that as-cast titanium alloy β20C has the minimum of DOP, which is 4.7 mm, about 22%, 37% and 23% less than that of as-cast titanium alloys TC4, TA15 and TA18, respectively. Besides, mass efficiency of β20C is 2.61 which is the maximum among the four as-cast titanium alloys, indicating that β20C has the best ballistic performance. Furthermore, dynamic compression strength, quasi-static compression strength and quasi-static tensile yield strength together with quasi-static tensile strength of β20C are 1578, 1474, 1052 and 1101 MPa, respectively, larger than the corresponding values of the other three titanium alloys. While the impact absorbing energy, dynamic ductility and critical fracture strain and fracture elongation don't reflect the ballistic performance very well. In addition, the cratering size of the target frontage of β20C is 10 mm×12 mm, being the biggest one among the four as-cast titanium alloys, without obvious shearing plugging damage.