Abstract: The microstructures of electroformed copper liners of shaped charges that had undergone high-strain-rate deformation were observed by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Meanwhile, the orientation distribution of the grains in the recovered jet was examined by electron backscattering Kikuchi pattern (EBSP) technique. EBSP analysis reveals that the fibrous texture observed in the as-electroformed copper liners disappeared after explosive detonation deformation. OM observation shows that the microstructure evolves systematically from the jet center to its perimeter during cooling from high temperatures after explosive detonation deformation. This microstructural characteristic is similar to that of solidification, i.e. there exist equiaxed grains in the center of the jet and significant columnar grains around the equiaxed grains. The result reveals that there is melting-related phenomenon in the jet center. Corresponding microhardness variations from the jet center to its perimeter is also determined. All the phenomena can be explained by a strong gradient of temperature across the section of the jet during plastic deformation at high-strain-rate.

Key words: jetting, electroformation, microstructure