Mechanical properties and constitutive relations for molybdenum under high-rate deformation

Molybdenum and its alloys have received increased interest in recent years for ballistic applications. The stress-strain behavior of several molybdenums possessing various compositions, manufacturing sources, and the degree of pre-straining, were investigated as a function of temperature from 77 to 1273 K, and strain rate from 10^-3 s^-1 to 8000 s^-1. The yield stress was found to be sensitive to the test temperature and strain rate, however, the strain hardening remained rate-insensitive. The constitutive response of a powder-metallurgy molybdenum was also investigated; similar mechanical properties compared to conventionally wrought processed molybdenums were achieved. Constitutive relations based upon the Johnson-Cook, the Zerilli-Armstrong and the Mechanical Threshold Stress (MTS) models were evaluated and fit for the various Mo-based materials. The capabilities and limitations of each model for large-strain applications were examined. The differences between the three models are demonstrated using model comparisons to Taylor cylinder validation experiments.