Structural energetic materials (SEMs) of various
types have been the subject of a number of studies
(c.f. [1, 2, 3]). These efforts have focused on reaction
initiation, largely neglecting fragmentation. The
use of SEMs naturally entails the formation of fragments.
The size and shape of the fragments will in-
fluence their subsequent reaction behavior; therefore,
it is necessary to characterize fragment size to fully
understand their performance as SEMs.
This study focuses on the fragmentation behavior
of a Ni+Al SEM fabricated via gas dynamic
cold spray [4]. Two types of explosive fragmentation
experiments were conducted, one involving Ni+Al
rings and the other involving a Ni+Al cylinder. Recovered
fragments and high-speed camera images
were analyzed to provide insight into the fragmentation
process and subsequent reaction behavior of
the cold sprayed Ni+Al material.