Mechanical properties of refractory HEA WNbTaV and its penetration behavior to aluminum alloy plate

Quasi-static and dynamic compression experiments were conducted on WNbTaV to investigate its mechanical characteristics and its penetration behavior into an aluminum alloy target plate. Additionally, ballistic experiments with WNbTaV projectiles against 2A12 aluminum alloy thin targets were performed. The results indicate that HEA WNbTaV at a strain rate of 10−3 s−1 has a fracture strength of 1340 MPa, a yield strength of around 980 MPa, and a fracture strain of less than 7%. However, its dynamic yield strength is almost twice its quasi-static yield strength, and its dynamic fracture strain is more than twice the quasi-static compression fracture strain.When striking a 2 mm thick 2A12 aluminum alloy target plate with a velocity less than 348.5 m/s, the HEA WNbTaV projectile remains stiff and undeformed. Its maximum velocity before entering the target plate is roughly 273 m/s. Furthermore, within a certain impact velocity range, the residual velocity, initial impact velocity, and ultimate penetration velocity of the HEA WNbTaV projectile penetrating the 2 mm thick 2A12 aluminum alloy target plate meet the following relationships. vr=v02−2.13vb2.