Mechanisms of fracture of the free surface of shock-compressed metals

The mechanisms of the ejection of aluminum and copper microparticles from the free surfaces of these metals have been studied under conditions of the escape of a moderate-intensity shock wave from a sample. The free surfaces of samples contained 0.7–0.9 mm deep artificial wells and protrusions simulating (on a greater scale of 10: 1) the natural surface roughness retained upon mechanical processing. The pressure in a shock-wave pulse at the base of a protrusion was controlled within P = 5–20 GPa (i.e., below the melting region), and the variable duration of pressure pulses was 0.02, 0.2, and 1 μs. Analysis of the free surfaces of postloaded samples showed that, for certain loading and roughness parameters, the ejection of metal from vertices of protruding ridges or pyramids (as a result of the longitudinal fracture) was about ten times greater than the amount of metal ejected in the form of cumulative jets from wells. The amount of ejected metal and the size distribution of metal microparticles were quantitatively characterized using “soft collecting targets” and by measuring mass losses of samples upon fracture.