Energy Release Characteristics of PTFE/Al/W/Zr Coated Reactive Fragments Associated with Air Pressure, Impact Velocity and Shell Thickness

As altitude increases, both environmental pressure and oxygen content are correspondingly reduced. Therefore, the reaction energy release efficiency of reactive materials in varying pressure environments is of significant importance. In this paper, PTFE/Al/W/Zr reactive fragments coated with steel shells are investigated. Ballistic gun experiments are conducted to analyze the energy release characteristics of reactive fragments with different coating structures under varying impact velocities and air pressure conditions. The results reveal that the reaction of the reactive fragments is more intense and lasts longer in normal pressure environments. Under identical pressure conditions, the quasi-static pressure released by the reactive fragments increases linearly with impact velocity. Furthermore, the quasi-static pressure under normal pressure is 2 to 5 times greater than that under low pressure (100–5000 Pa). Moreover, under high-velocity impact conditions, the energy released per unit mass of 2 mm coated shell reactive fragments exceeds that of 1mm coated shell reactive fragments.