Abstract: The ballistic impact experiments are performed to investigate the penetration behavior of the pressed and sintered PTFE/Al/W active material projectile with steel-like density impacting an aluminum target. Based on the experimental results of ballistic limit velocity, perforated patterns and average hole sizes produced by the cylindrical active material projectiles normally impacting 2A12 aluminum plates with different thicknesses, a semi-empirical relationship between the ballistic limit velocity and aluminum plate thickness is developed by combining with the THOR penetration equation. The effect of aluminum plate thickness on penetration behavior and performance of active material projectile are analyzed. Moreover, for the combined considerations of the pressure distribution in the active material projectile, the rarefaction wave effect and the impact-initiated delay time, the influence of active material chemical response on the penetration performance is analyzed and discussed . The analysis shows that the initiation efficiency and the deflagration pressure inside penetration hole are increased with the increase in target thickness, resulting in the significantly improved perforation ability of active material projectile at the end of the penetration hole.

Key words: ordnance science and technology, active material projectile, ballistic impact experiment, ballistic limit velocity, penetration performance