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Probing the molecular-level energy absorption mechanism and strategic sequencing of graphene/Al composite laminates under high-velocity ballistic impact of nano-projectiles

Probing the molecular-level energy absorption mechanism and strategic sequencing of graphene/Al composite laminates under high-velocity ballistic impact of nano-projectiles
Probing the molecular-level energy absorption mechanism and strategic sequencing of graphene/Al composite laminates under high-velocity ballistic impact of nano-projectiles

Motivated by recent discoveries concerning the extreme superiority of multilayer graphene in terms of kinetic energy dissipation compared to conventional monolithic materials, this article investigates the ballistic performance and physics-informed strategic sequencing of graphene-reinforced aluminum laminates under the influence of random disorder based on extensive molecular-level simulations of high-velocity impact. It is unraveled that strategic sequencing of graphene layers within the aluminum matrix can significantly enhance kinetic energy absorption, while preventing complete penetration. However, the reinforcement of bilayer graphene increases the projectile's post-impact residual velocity due to high magnitude of stress wave release provided by the reinforcement. We have further mitigated this effect to a significant extent by increasing the effective thickness of Al laminates. Based on the insights gained by a series of molecular-level simulations, we have proposed hybrid multifunctional laminates by coupling two individual configurations with high energy absorption and no penetration, respectively. By strategically providing higher graphene concentration near target surfaces, up to 90.77% of the kinetic energy can be absorbed. The findings of this study would be crucially useful in materializing the bottom-up multi-scale design pathway for producing graphene-reinforced Al composites to develop a novel class of functional barrier material-based engineered surfaces with improved nano-scale ballistic performance.

Ballistic performance of graphene/Al composites, Disordered graphene composites, Graphene reinforced aluminum composite, High-velocityimpact, Kinetic energy absorption
0169-4332
Gupta, K.K.
52bd46e7-a3fb-4b61-8ef2-73a1d57fe2b4
Mukhopadhyay, T.
2ae18ab0-7477-40ac-ae22-76face7be475
Dey, S.
95e09555-56bd-41ac-a889-f23966e631cc
Gupta, K.K.
52bd46e7-a3fb-4b61-8ef2-73a1d57fe2b4
Mukhopadhyay, T.
2ae18ab0-7477-40ac-ae22-76face7be475
Dey, S.
95e09555-56bd-41ac-a889-f23966e631cc

Gupta, K.K., Mukhopadhyay, T. and Dey, S. (2023) Probing the molecular-level energy absorption mechanism and strategic sequencing of graphene/Al composite laminates under high-velocity ballistic impact of nano-projectiles. Applied Surface Science, 629, [156502]. (doi:10.1016/j.apsusc.2023.156502).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Motivated by recent discoveries concerning the extreme superiority of multilayer graphene in terms of kinetic energy dissipation compared to conventional monolithic materials, this article investigates the ballistic performance and physics-informed strategic sequencing of graphene-reinforced aluminum laminates under the influence of random disorder based on extensive molecular-level simulations of high-velocity impact. It is unraveled that strategic sequencing of graphene layers within the aluminum matrix can significantly enhance kinetic energy absorption, while preventing complete penetration. However, the reinforcement of bilayer graphene increases the projectile's post-impact residual velocity due to high magnitude of stress wave release provided by the reinforcement. We have further mitigated this effect to a significant extent by increasing the effective thickness of Al laminates. Based on the insights gained by a series of molecular-level simulations, we have proposed hybrid multifunctional laminates by coupling two individual configurations with high energy absorption and no penetration, respectively. By strategically providing higher graphene concentration near target surfaces, up to 90.77% of the kinetic energy can be absorbed. The findings of this study would be crucially useful in materializing the bottom-up multi-scale design pathway for producing graphene-reinforced Al composites to develop a novel class of functional barrier material-based engineered surfaces with improved nano-scale ballistic performance.

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Accepted/In Press date: 17 January 2023
e-pub ahead of print date: 27 January 2023
Published date: 30 August 2023
Additional Information: Funding Information: KKG is grateful for financial support from the Ministry of Education (MoE), India, during this work. TM acknowledges the initiation grant received from IIT Kanpur during this work. We acknowledge National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) for providing computing resources of ‘PARAM Shakti’ at IIT Kharagpur, which is implemented by C-DAC and supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.
Keywords: Ballistic performance of graphene/Al composites, Disordered graphene composites, Graphene reinforced aluminum composite, High-velocityimpact, Kinetic energy absorption

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 483507
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/483507
ISSN: 0169-4332
PURE UUID: f566189a-0895-4811-aa24-072e2d23f6ad

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Date deposited: 01 Nov 2023 17:31
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 04:10

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Contributors

Author: K.K. Gupta
Author: T. Mukhopadhyay
Author: S. Dey

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