Additively Manufactured Granular and Binder Metamaterial's Response To Shock

Homogenous mixtures were created using sucrose crystals with characteristic lengths of 180 μm to 250 μm and ultraviolet sensitive resin.  A single stage light gas gun was utilized in a uniaxial plate impact configuration to drive a shock through the mixtures at particle velocities ranging from 20 m/s to 200 m/s.  A photo doppler velocimetry system (PDV) was used to measure the transmitted particle velocity and infer the state of the system during loading.  Initially the sucrose crystals were arranged in simple orientations so that the dynamic response of individual grains within the resin could be determined.  A genetic algorithm, coupled with a Lagrangian hydrocode, was used in order to suggest crystal arrangements that may influence bulk wave behavior.  The crystal geometries were physically realized with a laser sintering technique. 

The initial results indicate some control over the bulk behavior.