SIGMABOND
TECHNOLOGIES
The QUANTUM LEAP
LIGHTWEIGHT ARMOUR
When a projectile encounters a solid opposing object, it has only one challenge: to penetrate the object. With enough force, it will do just that.
However, when the object consists of multiple layers of dissimilar metals, the projectile must overcome several challenges. If the metals are made of widely different properties, such as titanium and aluminum (one being hard and the other ductile), the combined effect is a pronounced resistance to ballistic penetration, which is much greater than either material acting independently. If the layers are bonded atomically, the job of penetration is even more difficult, and the amount of force needed to penetrate the object is exponentially greater.
There are several mechanisms that deplete the energy of an oncoming projectile. Hard metal blunts the projectile while ductile metal slows it down. Provided the interfaces between the metals are bonded atomically, the metals will not separate and instead of cracking, the more ductile metal drags the other metal with it as it deforms. In this way, the energy of the projectile is dissipated as the material bends and drags but does not crack. This makes for a more effective barrier against ballistic threat and against crack progression.
Multilaminate of titanium and aluminum, explosively welded, and fired at by a 9mm 124 GRN round. Copper residue from the bullet can be seen on the surface, but the multilaminate remained whole.
Conventional
Crack propagates ahead of projectile, taking direct path through thickness of titanium layer and causing it to crack.
Immediately after impact of projectile on tough hard brittle titanium plate
Crack opens through and projectile passes through the plate
Sigmabond
Immediately after impact of projectile on titanium/aluminium composite plate
Kinetic energy of the projectile now depleted in further harmless crack propagation along the interface plus bulging deformation of the composite plate as the ductile aluminum drags the hard titanium with it.
Crack propagates directly across titanium layer, then diverges along the interface, preferring to remain in the more brittle titanium where crack propagation can continue more readily rather than progress into the ductile aluminium.