Active protection and effect systems

Fraunhofer IKTS develops and optimizes high-performance materials for applications under extreme mechanical, thermal, and chemical stresses. The focus is on hard metals, cermets, and ultra-high-temperature ceramics (UHTC), which are used in various areas ranging from ammunition and protection systems to aerospace and propulsion components. These materials combine exceptional hardness, temperature resistance, and structural stability with high precision in manufacturing.

Services offered

• Development and adaptation of hard metals, cermets, and heavy metal alloys (WHA, WC, W–Cu, UHTC)
• Manufacture of components for high-temperature, high-pressure, and high-speed applications
• Process and material optimization for extreme operating environments
• Integration of hard material and composite systems into complex assemblies

In which areas of application are ceramic systems used in active protection and effect systems?

• Propulsion and hot areas: WC/cermet inserts; W–Cu (heavy metal) alloys, tungsten cermets for high-temperature components
• Guidance and platforms: WHA ballast and trim weights, inertial masses, radiation shielding
• Ammunition and warheads: WHA penetrators, WC cores, EFP and fragmentation elements
• Gun barrels: cermet wear parts
• Protection and armor: hard metal impact surfaces, cermet coatings, graded intermediate layers
• Technical systems and engineering: carbide-tipped cutting and drilling tools; graded carbides for impact tools
• UHTC (ultra-high temperature ceramics): HEC/HECN for hypersonic nose tips, leading edges, control surfaces, re-entry tips, and rocket nozzles or deflection inserts
• Detonators and explosives: WHA inertial masses; WC/cermet components in ignition mechanisms
  
  

References

• Applications of hard metals, cermets, and UHTC in high-load and high-temperature environments
• Development of W–Cu and WHA components for extreme ballistic and thermal conditions
• Testing of UHTC structures for space and hypersonic applications