Researchers have demonstrated that vehicle armor using composite metal foam (CMF) can stop 50-gauge ball and armor-piercing rounds, and is superior to conventional steel armor at half the weight. This means that vehicle designers can design lighter military vehicles without sacrificing safety, or they can improve protection without making vehicles heavier.
CMF is a foam that consists of hollow metal spheres made from materials such as stainless steel or titanium in a metal matrix of steel, titanium, aluminum, or other metal alloys. In this study, the scientists used an all-steel CMF, meaning both the spheres and the matrix were made of steel.
The results showed that a CMF layer less than 5cm can absorb 72-75 percent of the kinetic energy of ball-shaped projectiles and absorb 68-78 percent of the kinetic energy of armor-piercing projectiles, as well as prevent the penetration of a projectile flying at a speed of 819 m /s.
Scientists stated that this is only a prototype, the potential of which is simply enormous.
“For example, we would like to optimize the adhesion and thickness of the ceramic, CMF and aluminum layers, which could result in even lower overall weight and better performance in the final armor,” says North Carolina State University (NCSU) engineer and materials scientist Afsaneh Rabiei .
However, even as it stands, it is a material capable of stopping some of the deadliest bullets used in combat - and a material that weighs half the standard protection, which means things like this, as military vehicles, they can be lighter and more maneuverable.
For the first time, the article "Ballistic characteristics of composite metal foam against large caliber threats" was published in the magazine "Composite Structures". This article was authored by Mark Portanova of the Aviation Development Directorate in the United States Army Combat Development Command.
