New composite material for liners of ultra-high magnetic field magnetocumulative MC-1 generator

Abstract

The cascade MC-1 pulsed power generator developed by the authors, at present is known as a source of record pulsed magnetic fields produced in a reproducible mode. Development of the cascade concept of magnetic cumulation gave rise to an idea of a new material for liners-cascades of the MC-1 generator; namely a composite material from metal powder and polymeric binder. The relation among the composite components is to be chosen so that in an initial state the material should display minor electroconductivity for free diffusion of a magnetic flux, but at the instant of a shock wave passage, it should acquire current-carrying capability to capture magnetic flux. Application of such a composite allows not only to achieve all advantages of cascading (the major one consists in overcoming of a limiting influence of the liner instabilities), but to begin with real optimization of the generator design. With regard to an assumed application of the generator, it is an easy matter to change a cascades number, dimensions, initial material density through the selection of metal type and relation between metal and polymer components and, if required, to increase the mass of the first generator cascade, i.e. solenoid-liner. The paper presents results of the experiments with proposed composite material. It is important that the proposed material may be used in different pulsed power facilities with various combinations of moving and moveless shells.