Coated ballistic structures

Abstract

Armor components having a ceramic substrate, a thermal sprayed barrier coating covering the substrate material to form a barrier coated substrate, and an outermost encapsulation of metal generally surrounding at least the periphery of the barrier coated substrate are disclosed herein. The encapsulation of metal was cast to the ceramic substrate as molten metal, and the thermal sprayed barrier coating comprises a cermet material, a ceramic material, or a combination thereof. The ceramic substrate is preferably a ceramic tile for ballistic armor. Also disclosed are armor components having a plurality of the ceramic tiles interconnected by the encapsulation of metal, with the metal, which was casted thereto, surrounding at least the periphery of each of the plurality of the armor components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An armor component comprising:
 a ceramic substrate having a first coefficient of thermal expansion;   a thermal sprayed barrier coating covering the substrate material to form a barrier coated substrate; and   an outermost encapsulation of metal generally surrounding at least the periphery of the barrier coated substrate;   wherein the encapsulation of metal was casted thereon as molten metal having a second coefficient of thermal expansion;   wherein the thermal sprayed barrier coating comprises:
 a first coating applied to the ceramic substrate and comprising a cermet material, a ceramic material, or a combination thereof having a coefficient of thermal expansion most closely matching the first coefficient of thermal expansion; and 
 a second coating over the first coating, the second coating comprising a metallic material and having a coefficient of thermal expansion most closely matching the second coefficient of thermal expansion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The armor component of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic substrate includes one or more of aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, boron carbide, titanium diboride, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, or tungsten carbide. 
     
     
         3 . The armor component of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal sprayed barrier coating is a plasma-sprayed barrier coating. 
     
     
         4 . The armor component of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal sprayed barrier coating has a coating thickness of about 0.001 to about 0.125 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The armor component of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic or cermet materials in the first coating are selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, magnesium aluminate spinel, zirconium oxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The armor component of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic substrate comprises a ceramic tile for ballistic armor. 
     
     
         7 . The armor component of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of the armor components interconnected by the encapsulation of metal; wherein the metal surrounds at least the periphery of each of the plurality of the armor components. 
     
     
         8 . An armor component comprising:
 a ceramic substrate having a first coefficient of thermal expansion;   a thermal sprayed barrier coating covering the substrate material to form a barrier coated substrate; and   an outermost encapsulation of metal generally surrounding at least the periphery of the barrier coated substrate;   wherein the encapsulation of metal was casted thereon as molten metal having a second coefficient of thermal expansion;   wherein the thermal sprayed barrier coating is a functionally graded coating having an exposed surface comprising a coefficient of thermal expansion more closely matching the coefficient of thermal expansion of the molten metal and an interior surface against the ceramic substrate that has a coefficient of thermal expansion more closely matching the coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic substrate.   
     
     
         9 . The armor component of  claim 8 , wherein the ceramic substrate includes one or more of aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, boron carbide, titanium diboride, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, or tungsten carbide. 
     
     
         10 . The armor component of  claim 8 , wherein the thermal sprayed barrier coating is a plasma-sprayed barrier coating. 
     
     
         11 . The armor component of  claim 8 , wherein the thermal sprayed barrier coating has a coating thickness of about 0.001 to about 0.125 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The armor component of  claim 8 , wherein the interior surface of the thermal sprayed barrier coating comprises as a majority thereof a ceramic material, a cermet material, or a combination thereof selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, magnesium aluminate spinel, zirconium oxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The armor component of  claim 8 , wherein the ceramic substrate comprises a ceramic tile for ballistic armor. 
     
     
         14 . The armor component of  claim 8 , comprising a plurality of the armor components interconnected by the encapsulation of metal; wherein the metal surrounds at least the periphery of each of the plurality of the armor components. 
     
     
         15 . An armor component comprising:
 a ceramic substrate;   a thermal sprayed barrier coating covering the substrate material to form a barrier coated substrate; and   an outermost encapsulation of metal generally surrounding at least the periphery of the barrier coated substrate;   wherein the encapsulation of metal was casted thereon as molten metal;   wherein the thermal sprayed barrier coating comprises a cermet material, a ceramic material, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         16 . The armor component of  claim 15 , wherein the ceramic substrate includes one or more of aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, boron carbide, titanium diboride, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, or tungsten carbide. 
     
     
         17 . The armor component of  claim 15 , wherein the thermal sprayed barrier coating is a plasma-sprayed barrier coating. 
     
     
         18 . The armor component of  claim 15 , wherein the thermal sprayed barrier coating has a coating thickness of about 0.001 to about 0.125 inches. 
     
     
         19 . The armor component of  claim 15 , wherein the thermal sprayed barrier coating is a functionally graded coating having an exposed surface comprising a first coefficient of thermal expansion more closely matching the coefficient of thermal expansion of the molten metal and an interior surface against the ceramic substrate that has a second coefficient of thermal expansion more closely matching the coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The armor component of  claim 19 , wherein the exposed surface comprises a metallic bond coat applied to the thermal sprayed barrier coating that has the first coefficient of thermal expansion.