Damage analysis of aluminum projectiles and aluminosilicate fibrous porous ceramic targets in hypervelocity impacts

Low-density porous materials are widely used in cosmic dust collectors, low-density asteroid simulant targets, and thermal protection systems for space vehicles. However, the interaction processes between projectiles and porous materials remains to be further investigated. In this paper, a two-stage light gas gun was employed to conduct the experiments of aluminum projectiles impacting aluminosilicate fibrous porous ceramic targets at different velocities. The impact process was captured in situ using the flash X-ray radiography system. The damage characteristics of projectiles and targets, the damage processes of projectiles, and the formation processes of target cavities were investigated. The results show that the damage of the projectile can be classified into plastic deformation and fragmentation states, significantly influencing the evolution of the target cavity. When the impact velocity is below 3.37 km/s, the projectile only exhibits plastic deformation and penetrates the target as a whole, resulting in a “carrot” cavity. In contrast, when the impact velocity reaches or exceeds 3.37 km/s, the projectile breaks and penetrates the target in the form of fragments, resulting in a “bulb” cavity. The analysis of the interaction processes between the projectile and the porous material provides important reference data for validating numerical simulations and theoretical models.