Titanium-based laminate structures fabricated using blended elemental powder metallurgy and hot isostatic pressing

1 . An antiballistic laminate structure comprising:

an alloy layer comprising a titanium alloy; and

two or more metal matrix composite (MMC) layers, a first MMC layer comprising a titanium alloy reinforced with 40 vol. % to 50 vol. % particles of TiC and a second MMC layer comprising a titanium alloy reinforced with 30 vol. % to 50 vol. % particles of TiB,

wherein the first MMC layer and the second MMC layer comprise different amounts of TiC and TiB, respectively:

wherein the titanium alloy of the two or more MMC layers and, optionally, the alloy layer is Ti-6Al-4V;

wherein the alloy layer and the two or more MMC layers are bonded by applying hot isostatic pressing (HIP):

wherein each MMC layer is individually fabricated and processed using Blended Elemental Powder Metallurgy (BEPM) treatment prior to applying HIP; and

wherein the antiballistic laminate structure has a porosity of ≤3%, and wherein the two or more MMC layers have a hardness greater than 600 HV.

2 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the first MMC layer is reinforced with no more than 45 vol. % TiC.

3 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the second MMC layer is reinforced with no more than 45 vol. % TiB.

4 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the antiballistic laminate structure has a porosity of ≤2%.

5 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 4 , wherein the applied HIP decreases the porosity of the two or more MMC layers by at least 10% from a porosity level of the two or more MMC layers prior to HIP being applied.

6 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 4 , wherein the applied HIP eliminates residual porosity that was present in the antiballistic laminate structure prior to HIP being applied.

7 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the two or more MMC layers have a hardness greater than 700 HV.

8 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the laminate structure has increased hardness, reduced porosity, and improved interlayer bonding strength, thereby providing improved ballistic impact resistance relative to an otherwise identically fabricated laminate made without HIP bonding.

9 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the laminate structure comprises Ti 3 AlC.

10 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the two or more MMC layers comprise a reinforcement phase comprising Ti 2 C, Ti 3 AlC, and TiB.

11 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 10 , wherein the reinforcement phase comprises 5 wt. % to 20 wt. % Ti 3 AlC.

12 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 10 , wherein the reinforcement phase increases in a graded, step-wise manner from 0 wt. % TiC or TiB at the alloy layer up to 50 wt. % within an outer MMC layer.

13 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the antiballistic laminate structure is in the form of a plate, wherein the plate has a length of about 90 mm to about 30 cm, a width of about 90 mm to about 30 cm, and a thickness of about 10 mm to about 5 cm.

14 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein the HIP is performed at about 800° C. to about 1000° C.

15 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 14 , wherein the HIP is performed at about 100 MPa to about 200 MPa.

16 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 15 , wherein the HIP is performed for about 3 hours to about 5 hours.

17 . The antiballistic laminate structure of claim 1 , wherein each interface between the layers is well consolidated with no visible pores.

18 . An antiballistic laminate structure comprising:

an alloy layer comprising a titanium alloy; and

two or more metal matrix composite (MMC) layers, each MMC layer comprising a titanium alloy reinforced with 40 vol. % to 50 vol. % particles of TiC or TiB;

wherein the titanium alloy of the two or more MMC layers and, optionally, the alloy layer is Ti-6Al-4V;

wherein each MMC layer is individually fabricated and processed using Blended Elemental Powder Metallurgy (BEPM) treatment;

wherein the alloy layer and the two or more MMC layers are bonded by applying hot isostatic pressing (HIP) at a temperature of about 800° C. to about 1000° C. and a pressure of about 100 MP a to about 200 MPa for about 3 hours to about 5 hours, thereby forming the antiballistic laminate structure with a porosity of ≤3%;

wherein at least one of the two or more MMC layers comprises a reinforcement phase comprising 5 wt. % to 20 wt. % Ti 3 AlC; and

wherein the two or more MMC layers have a hardness greater than 600 HV.