Cast reactive metal body

Abstract

A cast reactive metal body that can be used as weapon cases is offered. It is cast with aluminum or aluminum alloys with small particles and/or fibers of metals of high density such as molybdenum, tungsten or hafnium. Aluminum alloys are those that can get easily ignited when heated and burn fast afterwards in particulate forms. Metals that react intermetallically with aluminum are excluded. The particles and fibers are of the size between a few microns and a few hundreds of microns in diameter. The length of the fibers is longer than the diameter. The weight percentage of aluminum and/or aluminum alloys range from 10 to 90 percent and the weight percentage of heavy metal particles/fibers ranges from 90 to 10 percent. Other inert materials such as ceramic particles can be added in small amounts.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A cast reactive metal body for use in weapon casings, comprising:
 A reactive metal matrix, comprising between 10% and 90% of the cast reactive metal body weight;   High-density metal constituents embedded within the cast reactive metal matrix;   the high-density metal constituents do not react inter-metallically with the cast reactive metal matrix;   the high-density metal constituents comprising between 10% and 90% of the cast reactive metal body weight;   the high-density metal constituents have a diameter between a few microns and a few hundreds of microns; and   Small hard inert filler materials embedded within the reactive metal matrix;   the small hard inert filler materials do not melt at or near the melting point of said reactive metal matrix;   the small hard inert filler materials comprising between 0% and 30% of the cast reactive metal body weight;   the hard inert filler materials have a diameter 2-10 times smaller than those of the high density metal components;   
     
     
         4 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 3 , wherein the cast reactive metal matrix is aluminum. 
     
     
         5 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 3 , wherein the cast reactive metal matrix is an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         6 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 5 , wherein the aluminum alloy is an aluminum-magnesium alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 3 , wherein the cast reactive metal matrix can be easily ignited when heated and burns quickly with air when in particulate form. 
     
     
         8 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 3 , wherein high density metals used for the high-density metal constituents embedded within the reactive metal matrix are selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tungsten or hafnium. 
     
     
         9 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 3 , wherein the high-density metal constituents are particles. 
     
     
         10 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 3 , wherein the high-density metal constituents are fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 12 , wherein the fibers have length longer than their diameter. 
     
     
         12 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 3 , wherein the high density metal constituents are metal wools. 
     
     
         13 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 3 , wherein the high density metal constituents are a combination of particles, fibers, and metal wools. 
     
     
         14 . The cast reactive metal body of  claim 3 , wherein the hard inert filler materials are selected from the group consisting of metal oxide particles (ceramic particles) of various sizes. 
     
     
         15 . A method for producing a weapon casing comprising:
 Mixing high-density metal constituents and small hard inert filler materials with a liquid reactive metal to form a mixture of said high-density constituents, hard filler materials and liquid reactive metal of desired weight proportions;   Pouring said mixture to form a weapon casing;   Wherein said reactive metal does not react intermetalically with the high-density metal constituents; and   Wherein said weapon casing can form particles that are easily ignited when heated and burn quickly with air when a high explosive placed next to the said weapon casing is detonated.   
     
     
         16 . A method for producing a weapon casing comprising:
 Mixing high-density metal constituents and small hard inert filler materials with enough liquid reactive metal to form a mixture of said high-density constituents, excess hard filler materials beyond desired weight proportions and excess reactive metal beyond desired weight proportions;   Pouring said mixture into a mold;   Covering the mold with a porous barrier through which the liquid reactive metal and hard inert filler materials can flow but said high-density metal constituents cannot;   Squeezing liquid reactive metal in excess of the desired amount and excess hard filler materials out to form a weapon casing of desired weight proportion between the heavy-metal constituents, hard inert filler materials and the liquid reactive metal;   Wherein said reactive metal does not react intermetalically with the high-density metal constituents; and   Wherein said weapon casing can form particles that are easily ignited when heated and burn quickly with air when a high explosive placed next to the said weapon casing is detonated.   
     
     
         17 . A method for producing a weapon casing comprising:
 Placing heavy metal constituents (in fiber or wool forms) into a mold of weapon casing;   Rearranging the heavy-metal constituents to partially but not completely fill the mold;   Mixing a liquid reactive metal with hard inert filler materials to form a mixture of the liquid reactive metal and the hard inert filler materials;   Pouring the mixture of liquid reactive metal and hard inert filler materials into the said mold with the heavy-metal constituents already in the mold to form a weapons casing,   Wherein the pouring causes the liquid reactive metal, hard inert filler materials, and heavy-metal constituents to be mixed to desired weight proportions;   Wherein said reactive metal does not react intermetalically with the high-density metal constituents; and   Wherein said weapon casing can form particles that are easily ignited when heated and burn quickly with air when a high explosive placed next to the said weapon casing detonated.   
     
     
         18 . A method for producing a weapon casing comprising:
 Placing heavy metal constituents into a mold of weapon casing;   Rearranging the heavy-metal constituents to fill the mold;   Mixing a liquid reactive metal with hard inert filler materials to form a mixture of said liquid reactive metal and hard inert filler materials;   Pouring enough of the mixture into the mold;   Wherein the pouring causes the liquid reactive metal, the hard inert filler materials, and the heavy-metal constituents to be mixed;   Covering the mold with a porous barrier through which the liquid reactive metal and hard inert filler materials can flow but the high-density metal constituents cannot;   Squeezing any excess the liquid reactive metal and hard inert filler materials out to form a weapon casing of desired weight proportion between the heavy-metal constituents, the hard inert filler materials and the liquid reactive metal;   Wherein said reactive metal does not react intermetalically with the high-density metal constituents; and   Wherein the weapon casing can form particles that are easily ignited when heated and burn quickly with air when a high explosive placed next to the weapon casing is detonated.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , where the heavy-metal constituents used are fibers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , where the heavy-metal constituents used are metal wools.