SBIR-STTR Award

Liquidmetal Technologies proposes a novel tungsten (W) reinforced Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) composite penetrator that meets or exceeds current Depleted Uranium performance against current or future threat targets. The objective of this proposal is to develop the processes to produce an in-situ W reinforced BMG composite that exhibits self-sharpening penetrator characteristics. The in-situ W reinforcement would be produced by dendritic precipitation in the BMG. With controlled cooling of a desired composition, it will be possible to grow filaments of W dendrites directly from this melt with its longitudinal axis (called the <100> direction) aligned with the longitudinal axis of the penetrator rod. Because the <001> direction of the dendrites are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the penetrator rod, then deformation of the dendrites along the slip direction (known as the <011> direction) coincides with the 45' angle for self sharpening. Thus, the localized shear bands in the BMG matrix is anticipated to induce the <011> deformation in the tungsten dendrites; hence producing a composite rod with self-sharpening behavior. Liquidmetal Technologies has developed a family of Liquidmetalr BMG alloys and composites for use in a range of metallic based products. Over the past 5 years, Liquidmetal Technologies has been awarded 5 DoD research contracts (completed 2 and 3 in-progress) to develop Liquidmetal BMG for Kinetic Energy Penetrator (KEP) applications. Liquidmetal Technologies (LMT) mission is to research, develop and commercialize LMT patented amorphous metal for a wide range of applications. Target focus areas include defense, aerospace, consumer electronics, medical, automotive, light industrial products, sports and leisure and more. Certain aspects of the core technology developed under this proposed SBIR program will benefit the focus area applications listed above