Application of explosive metal cladding in the manufacture of new, advanced layered materials exemplified by titanium Ti6Al4V – aluminium AA2519 bonding

Explosive metal cladding technology has been extensively developed since the mid-20th century. It is an area with the largest use of explosives for civil purposes, apart from mining. The global production of these materials runs at tens of thousands of square metres annually. Explosive bonding enables the production of a wide range of intermetallic compositions where, in many cases, no alternative methods are available. As an example, layered products include clad plates made of light metals, e.g. titanium, aluminium, magnesium showing different melting points, densities and hardness. Each new material combination requires an adaptation of the technology used by selecting suitable bonding parameters and new modified explosives. Several variants of Ti6Al4V/AA2519 explosive alloy bonding technology were created. The clad plates were tested using destructive and non-destructive techniques to determine bond strength and integrity. The study aimed to create new materials with improved ballistic resistance for structures used in the aviation and space industry.