Title :
Development of Advanced Thermoplastic Composite Projectiles for High-Velocity Shots With the PEGASUS Railgun
Author :
Avril, C. ; Perreux, D. ; Thiebaud, F. ; Reck, B. ; Hundertmark, S.
Author_Institution :
MaHyTec, Dole, France
Abstract :
The work presented here aimed at developing advanced thermoplastic composite laminates specifically dedicated to the fabrication of brush-armature supporting structures for the PEGASUS railgun of the French-German Research Institute of Saint-Louis. The main objective is to surpass the results obtained previously with glass-fiber-reinforced epoxy composites. Due to higher ductility and superior dynamic behavior of PEEK polymers, an S2-glass woven fabric preimpregnated with a PEEK resin was selected. The interlaminar resistance and tensile behavior of the material was characterized experimentally. The results led to the identification of the most suitable fiber/resin ratio and fabrication process for thick laminates. Several prototypes weighing about 320 g were produced and used for six shots with the PEGASUS railgun. Already in the first series of experiments, the laminates show a remarkable mechanical resistance, and a maximal velocity of 2440 m/s was obtained.
Keywords :
ductility; glass fibre reinforced plastics; laminates; projectiles; railguns; resins; tensile strength; woven composites; French-German Research Institute of Saint Louis; PEEK polymers; PEEK resins; PEGASUS railguns; advanced thermoplastic composite projectiles; brush armature fabrication; ductility; fiber-resin ratio; glass woven fabrics; high velocity shots; interlaminar resistance; mechanical resistance; tensile behavior; thermoplastic composite laminates; Composite materials; Fabrication; Laminates; Railguns; Advanced composite materials; PEGASUS railgun; experimental characterization; fabrication process;
Journal_Title :
Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TPS.2011.2170994
