ES2689795T3 - Ballistic protection system - Google Patents

Abstract

Use of a layer of cermet, applied on the base material (3) and / or the substrate (3), as a protection layer (2) of ballistic effect in a ballistic protection system (1), the layer of cermet by a hard material phase part and a remaining binder phase part (12), the hard material phase part being 60 to 98% by weight, the hard material phase being composed, among others, of a Carbide, for example, tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, niobium carbide, vanadium carbide, silicon carbide, etc., as well as mixtures thereof, and being present as a binder phase cobalt (Co) or cobalt alloys, nickel (Ni) or nickel alloys and also iron (Fe) or iron alloys.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Ballistic protection system

The invention relates to a layer of cermet deposited by thermokinetic route or such a composite layer for or as ballistic protection systems. The thermally projected coating layer here has the function of fragmenting projectiles, in particular those of hard metal, but also other projectiles. The ballistic protection system itself comprises a base material and / or a substrate, on which the cermet layer and / or the cermet composite layer has been applied as a ballistic protection layer or as a ballistic effect protection by thermal projection by high speed flame (HVOF, HVOLF). In addition to possible gaseous fuels, liquid fuels are also taken into account.

When a protective structure is subjected to a projectile or splinters, such a protective structure essentially experiences a strong point load. The protection structure then assumes the function of reducing this load and preventing the entry or subsequent penetration of the projectile that has impacted.

In addition to simple armored steel structures, ceramic composite structures are increasingly used. In this case, the ceramic fragments or erodes the projectile, while a so-called liner material, for example, aramid or elastomer or other tough materials, stops or retains the remaining fragments.

From DE10323082A1 a composite material is known in layers of metal and ceramic reinforced with fibers. Document DE102007025894B4 discloses an armored glass ceramic material.

Document DE102009043492B4 describes another protection concept or ballistic protection module. In this case, a ceramic plate and its support are tightly enclosed in a heat shrink tube, which generates a compression tension that prevents the presence of local ballistic weaknesses in this type of ceramic composite structures.

Document DE102009040305B4 describes a protection device against the loads that form the projectile. The protection device is formed by strips of material made from different materials. Such strips are located on an overlay as a sandwich structure and oriented in the direction of action. Document DE102008028318A1 discloses a transparent composite layer that is resistant to bullets.

The protection device according to DE102010054568A1 serves in particular as protection against multislug projectiles. The protection plates are provided with metal and / or ceramic bodies.

Composite ceramic and liner structures are characterized by having a lower weight than simple solutions with armored steel, but the manufacture of particularly complex three-dimensional surface structures and geometries is often very complicated.

Document US2002 / 088340A1 refers to a lightweight shielding system with a substrate and stepped composite layers of metal matrix. The layers are formed by a large number of individual layers with different mixing ratios (percentage by volume) between ceramic and metallic materials. The layers are applied, on the other hand, on the substrate by thermal projection. The shielding system is also formed by a ceramic impact layer that is applied to the metal matrix composite bodies and into which the projectile is to be fragmented.

The invention aims to show a ballistic effect protection system with a simple manufacturing that can fragment projectiles and the like and is characterized by a low own weight.

The objective is achieved by the characteristics of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the secondary claims.

The invention is based on the idea of using layers of cermet or composite layers deposited by thermokinetic route as a ballistic protection or ballistic effect layer on (in) a base material. Cermets are, for their part, composite materials of ceramic materials in a binder phase of metal matrix and are characterized by particularly high hardness and wear resistance. As a base material, different or different substrate materials or raw materials are used. The thermally projected coating layer has and here fulfills the function of fragmenting the projectiles, for example, those of hard metal, but also with a soft core (for example, lead, iron, etc.) and the like. Special layers of hard material (layers of cermet) are used, which have, among others, very high hardnesses.

On the substrate material, the so-called “backing”, a corresponding thermal projection layer is applied in accordance with the (future) protection function of the ballistic protection system that presents, among other things, high hardnesses similar to ceramics, but a lower weight The systems of layers or layers composed of cermet materials, which have been applied by thermokinetic route, can be applied on the different substrate materials

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For very compact layer shapes.

The projection of the layer or layers allows the use of robot-guided burners. The use of robot-guided burners makes it possible to cover complex three-dimensional component structures and curved surfaces.

Document DE3515314A1 discloses a procedure for the application of a corrosion protection metallic layer on self-adhesive, but not self-flowing, powders, such as cermets, etc., by flame projection. Before projecting the protective layer on the base material, a self-flowing metal powder that is resistant to corrosion is cold projected. With this corrosion-resistant metal powder, a corrosion protection layer is created. Document DE202007012740U1 describes a device for the manufacture of a mixture of hard metal or cermet.

The burners, which can be used preferably, are special HVOF burners (High Velocity Oxygen Fuel = high-speed flame thermal projection) with extremely high kinetic energy from the hot particle jet at supersonic speeds. When applied on the surface of the component (substrate, base material) there is a strong adhesion and compaction of the layer, as well as a configuration, conditioned by the process, of high compression stresses in the hard material layer. HVOF burners usually work with gaseous fuels, for example, propane, propene or acetylene.

In a preferred application, a special coating process is used for the ballistic protection layers described herein as a particular variant of the HVOF process group, in which "liquid fuel", for example, kerosene, is additionally used as fuel (burner HVOLF). The HVOLF process is used for the processing of cermets (ceramic particles of hard material in metal matrix), for example, Cr3C2 / NiCr and WC / Co. In particular, the group of ultra-hard WC / Co materials can be processed very well with the procedure, because the thermal load in the powder can be kept low.

The use of liquid fuel increases the energy density in the combustion chamber and especially the kinetic energy of the hot gas jet, charged with particles, without increasing the temperature of the gas. In this case, dust particle speeds of up to 1000 m / s are reached. These high particle velocities give rise to very compact homogeneous layers of low porosity, simultaneously with a great adhesion on the substrate. The layers also have, in addition to high hardness, high resistance to corrosion and wear. Due to the intense transfer of heat and material during the coating process, as well as the high (extreme) kinetic impact, own tensions are generated conditioned by the process and the cooling in the composite layer, which are advantageously used for a specific process direction . Likewise, the HVOLF process allows a high yield of the material, that is to say, a high productivity, thus making the process particularly suitable for large surface coatings, as well as for the production of thick layers. The use of robotic systems and intelligent controls with optimized trajectories also makes it possible to cover curved free components and surfaces with a partially complex shape.

The layers used are preferably formed by a percentage as high as possible of hard material ceramic powder and a low percentage of metallic binder or refractory metal phase, from which precisely a composite layer or the hard and tough composite layer is obtained desired as a coating layer. Such a layer composition together with high hardness, good adhesion and high prestressing under pressure creates a combination of the function of the protective layer to fragment the projectiles. At the same time, from the technical point of view, it is possible, as already explained, to cover complex component geometries, for example, corners, radii, edges, rounded areas, etc., in a reliable, uniform and reproducible manner.

Due to the wide variety of possible combinations of hard material layer materials and substrate materials (steels, special steels, light metals, composite materials, titanium alloys, aluminum alloys, etc.) custom solutions can be achieved for applications different (in relation to the respective claim of protection of the protection system itself = level of protection) and additional weight savings.

The invention is explained in detail below by means of an exemplary embodiment. They show:

Fig. 1 a simple representation of a ballistic protection system according to the invention;

Fig. 2 an exemplary representation of a laminated material on an enlarged scale; Y

Fig. 3 a simplified general representation of a coating device for creating the system of

protection according to figure 1.

In FIG. 1, a protection system 1 comprising at least one base material or substrate 3 is shown in a simplified manner, on which a layer of cermet or a layer composed of cermet 2 has been projected. The layer of cermet can now be form the protective layer of ballistic effect.

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Figure 2 shows by way of example a layer 2 material, applied on the substrate 3, in an enlarged representation.

Figure 3 shows a device 10 represented in a simplified manner for the coating of the substrate 3. With the number 11 a HVOF burner (or HVOLF burner) projecting molten particles 12, cermet materials, on the substrate 3 has been represented in a simplified manner , which are then hardened to form a layer 2 on the surface 4 (interface) of the substrate 3. (Since the hardening occurs during the process itself, the layer 2 is represented slightly separated from the substrate 3. However, in practice, layer 2 is located directly or by means of adhesive support on or in the substrate 3.) The necessary, but also known, refrigerants have not been shown in detail, including the circuit / integration in the burner 11.

The development of the procedure is described here in detail by means of an HVOLF burner (11):

In the case of the High Velocity Liquid Fuel procedure, liquid fuel 15, in addition to oxygen 16, is also injected into a combustion chamber 14 of the burner 11, which is sprayed and burned here together with pure oxygen. The flue gases generated circulate at high speed through an expansion nozzle 13 towards the outside. At the outlet of the combustion chamber 14 ', the powder coating material 12 is injected radially 17. Due to the high temperature of the gas, the powder particles 12 which are dragged, accelerated and finally deposited by the gas stream on the component (3) to be coated. As powder materials, for example, Cr3C2 / NiCr and (or) WC / Co materials are used.

The substrate 3 (material) and the layer 2 material should preferably be coordinated with each other. If the substrate material is, for example, steel, the layer material must be applied with a different thickness to other substrate materials. Also, the coordination of the substrate 3 and layer 2 material process parameters must be taken into account. Thus, for example, the process parameters for a thicker layer and a lighter substrate 3 are configured differently than The parameters used for thin layers and heavier material.

The cermet layer or the composite layer 2 may have a hard material phase part of, for example, 60 to 98% by weight and the remaining part is the binder phase (particles 12).

The hard material phase may be formed, among others, by a carbide, for example, tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, niobium carbide, vanadium carbide, silicon carbide, etc., as well as mixtures thereof.

Cobalt (Co) or cobalt alloys are present as the binder phase, for example, CoCr, CoCr30W12C2.5 (STELLIT), CoNi32Cr21AI8Y0.5, CoMo28Cr18 (TRIBALOY). In addition to these elements it is also possible to use nickel (Ni) or nickel alloys, as well as iron (Fe) or iron alloys as the binder phase, among which are, for example, Ni99, NiCr13, NiCr18AI6, NiCr16Fe9, NiAI5 , NiCr21Mo9Nb3 (INCOTEL), etc., or FeCr13C0.5, FeNi2C0.2, FeAI10Mo1C0.2 and FeCr17Ni12Mo2Si1C.

As the adhesive support agent, a so-called adhesive agent layer can be provided, although this is not an indispensable condition. Thus, for example, NiCr, NiAI and the like can be used as an adhesive layer of this type. This layer serves so that the protective layer 2 can better adhere to the base material 3, that is, the layer increases the adhesive behavior of the cermet layer 2 on the base material 3. The thickness of this layer of adhesive agent , applied on the base material 3, can be located in a range of a few hundred microns maximum, but it can also be suppressed, as already mentioned.

The surface of the base material 3 may be an untreated surface. If a pretreatment is desired, the surface can be pretreated accordingly, for example, by sandblasting, water jet, machining with chip removal, erosion, laser ablation and / or laser machining, etc. This measure causes additional surface roughness and contributes in general to the micromechanical anchoring of the layers.

All the data mentioned above, such as the quantity, the composition of the individual components of the protection layer 2, etc., should not be considered as limiting data. Rather, from this information on other materials, proportions, thicknesses and possibilities of pretreatment are obtained.

Preferably, the thermally applied layer can be directly projected onto the structure to be protected. Alternatively, a protection system 1 of this type or protection systems 1 of this type are detachably fixed to the object to be protected (not shown in detail), for example, by screwing or the like. A combination of both possibilities broadens the scope or individual adaptation of ballistic protection to the requirements or circumstances. The objects / vehicles to be protected, etc., can be adapted to the individual protection requirements and in the case of a subsequent incorporation of the protection systems 1 they can also be adapted in situ. The lower own weight of the protection system 1 also allows compliance with requirements imposed on various transport conditions.

Claims (15)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 55 60 65 1. Use of a layer of cermet, applied on the base material (3) and / or the substrate (3), as a protective layer (2) of ballistic effect in a ballistic protection system (1), the formation being formed cermet layer by a hard material phase part and a remaining binder phase part (12), the hard material phase part being 60 to 98% by weight, the hard material phase being composed, among others, of a carbide, for example, tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, niobium carbide, vanadium carbide, silicon carbide, etc., as well as mixtures thereof, and being present as a phase of binder cobalt (Co) or cobalt alloys, nickel (Ni) or nickel alloys and also iron (Fe) or iron alloys. 2. Use of a layer composed of cermet, applied on the base material (3) and / or the substrate (3), as a protective layer (2) of ballistic effect in a ballistic protection system (1), being formed the layer composed of cermet (2) by a hard material phase part and a remaining binder phase part (12), the hard material phase part being 60 to 98% by weight, the material phase being composed hard, among others, of a carbide, for example, tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, niobium carbide, vanadium carbide, silicon carbide, etc., as well as mixtures thereof, and cobalt (Co) or cobalt alloys, nickel (Ni) or nickel alloys and also iron (Fe) or iron alloys being present as binder phase. 3. Ballistic protection system (1) by using a layer of cermet, applied on the base material (3) and / or the substrate (3), as a protective layer (2) of ballistic effect in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that the cermet layer is a coating layer (2). 4. Ballistic protection system (1) by using a layer composed of cermet, applied on the base material (3) and / or the substrate (3), as a ballistic effect protection layer according to claim 2 , characterized in that the composite layer of cermet is a coating layer (2). 5. Ballistic protection system (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the base material (3) and / or the substrate (3) are composed of different or different substrate materials, for example steels , special steels, light metals, composite materials, titanium alloys, aluminum alloys, etc. 6. Ballistic protection system (1) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the base material (3) and / or the substrate (3) are formed by complex three-dimensional component structures and / or surfaces curved 7. Ballistic protection system (1) according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that a layer of adhesive agent, which can be applied on the base material (3) and / or the substrate (3), it is integrated between the cermet layer and / or the cermet composite layer (2), as well as the base material (3) and / or the substrate (3). 8. Ballistic protection system (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that NiCr, NiAI and the like are used as the adhesive agent layer. 9. Method for manufacturing a protection system (1) according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that an HVOF burner or HVOLF burner (11) projects molten particles (12), cermet materials, on the base material or the substrate (3), which are then hardened to form a protective layer of cermet deposited by thermokinetics on the surface (4) of the base material or the substrate (3). 10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the surface (4) of the base material (3) is not treated. 11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the surface (4) is pretreated by sandblasting, water jet, machining with chip removal, erosion, laser ablation and / or laser machining, etc. 12. Object with a protection system (1) according to one of claims 3 to 11. 13. Object according to claim 12, characterized in that the protection system (1) has been projected directly onto the object. 14. Object according to claim 12, characterized in that the protection system (1) has been detachably fixed on the object to be protected. 15. Object according to claim 13, characterized in that the protection system (1) has been screwed into the object.