The Substructure and Properties of Explosively Loaded Cu-8.6 % Ge

Abstract

The shock-induced defect microstructure in Cu-8.6 at. pct. Ge has been studied with x-ray diffraction. Samples of the alloy were explosively loaded at 100, 180, 350, and 475 kbars with planar shock waves using the driver plate technique. Complete analysis of the x-ray diffraction effects was made on each sample along with measurements of the changes in microhardness, yield strength, and electrical resistivity. The effective particle size decreased in a regular manner with shock pressure. Similarly, the rms microstrains, stacking fault probability, and twin fault probability increased with shock pressure. The twin fault probability was four times as large as the stacking fault probability. Generally, the substructure was more isotropic at higher shock pressures. Semiquantitative relationships have been developed relating the yield strength to the dislocation density and to the various substructure parameters.