Fracture of metals samples under conditions of fast heating by intensive X-ray radiation

Russian Federal Nuclear Center – VNIIEF, Sarov, Russia

Abstract

Results on studying the fracture of metals samples in the form of thin disks under fast heating by the X-ray pulse with the complete spectrum are presented in the paper. The samples of such metals as iron, copper, AMg6 aluminum, VT14 titanium, molybdenum, tungsten, cadmium, lead and zinc were tested. The samples were fixed in the special cartridges equipped with the gauges of a mechanical recoil momentum. The cartridges with samples were placed at such distances from the X-ray irradiator where the energy fluxes were 1.38, 0.90 and 0.29kJ/cm². The irradiating X-ray pulse was about 2 ns in duration. After testing, the depth of material ablation from a sample front surface and the degree and character of its spall damage were determined. The method of metallographic analysis was used for these purposes. Numerical calculations of loading conditions were made with the use of an equation of state taking into account the process of evaporation. The calculated value of maximum negative pressure in the sample at the coordinate corresponding to the formation of spallation zones or spall cracks was conventionally accepted as the material resistance to spall fracture. The comparison of obtained results with the data on the fracture of examined materials in the conditions of fast heating by the X-ray pulse with the hard spectrum and a high-current electron beam was conducted.