亀裂進展抑止型インテリジェント材料の開発(その1)

Nb-Al系インテリジェント材料のメカニズム

抄録

A concept of the crack propagation resistant intelligent materials to avoid brittle fracture in case of a shock loading and to provide with excellent mechanical property is investigated. Potential needs for nuclear power plants, aircraft and space structure are expected to provide with reliability and safety. One of the candidates is an Nb and Al fiber reinforced composite. In case of a hypervelocity impact, dynamic energy will provide with Nb₃Al which features high temperature resistance. It may be effective to reduce damage as minimum as possible. Such candidate material has been manufactured by the mechanical alloying (MA) process to avoid formation of intermetallide during sintering, and was subjected to laser beam and arc attack to simulate hypervelocity impact. An EPMA analysis revealed possibility of Nb₃Al and NbAl₃ formation in the vicinity of a heat affected zone of the attack. Therefore Nb and Al interdiffusion in the order of 20μs has been confirmed.