Mechanical Response Characteristics of Tungsten-Based Alloys Prepared by SLM: Experimental Research and Verification

This study presents a systematic investigation into the mechanical responses of two tungsten-based alloys—84W–11.2Ni–4.8Fe and 88W–8.4Ni–3.6Fe—fabricated via selective laser melting (SLM). Quasi-static compression tests using a universal testing machine and dynamic impact experiments employing a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) were conducted over a temperature range of 298–598 K and strain rates spanning from 1 × 10−3 s−1 to 2.3 × 103 s−1. Both alloys exhibited significant strain-rate hardening and thermal softening effects. Based on the experimental data, a Johnson–Cook (J–C) constitutive model was established. The fidelity of the calibrated model for the 84W alloy was rigorously validated through pulsed X-ray radiography and static armor penetration tests. The SLM-fabricated 84W-shaped charge liner produced a well-collimated jet with a tip velocity of 5101.5 m/s and achieved a penetration depth of 87 mm into rolled homogeneous armor (RHA)-equivalent steel targets. Numerical simulations using the developed J–C model showed close agreement with experimental measurements, with a maximum discrepancy of only 9.19%, thereby confirming the predictive capability of the constitutive model. These results demonstrate that the proposed J–C model can reliably characterize the large-deformation behavior of SLM-processed 84W and 88W liners under the extreme thermomechanical conditions characteristic of shaped charge jet formation—namely high temperature, high pressure, and ultra-high strain rate. Collectively, this work establishes a foundational framework for the application of SLM technology to shaped charge liner design and provides a critical basis for further research into jet formation physics and penetration mechanics of tungsten-based alloys.