Laser Microflyer Impact Experiments on Silicon Carbide

Laser driven micro flyer experiments were performed in order to investigate the role of microstructure in the dynamic performance and spall strength of Silicon Carbide. This work compares the conventional gas gun plate impact experiments with the higher strain rate laser shock experiments. Commercially available single crystal 4H silicon carbide was tested along with a 4H/6H polycrystalline silicon carbide. Some of the polycrystalline samples were heat treated to various temperatures in order to further investigate the role of microstructure and polytype transformations on silicon carbide’s dynamic performance. XRD and EBSD microstructural characterization were performed before experimentation to quantify the initial microstructural characteristics of the sample. Additionally, this work presents initial in-situ high temperature impact tests that were performed to investigate the effect of temperature on the spall strength of Silicon Carbide