Study on the energy release characteristics of Zr-based reactive material casing fragments under explosive loading conditions

To investigate the fragmentation characteristics and energy release behavior of Zr-based reactive material casings under explosive loading, fragmentation distribution, fireball evolution, and reaction products were analyzed using high-speed photography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) in explosive loading experiments conducted under identical casing-to-charge mass ratio ( η = 1.20). Results indicate that Zr-based reactive material casings produce finer fragments and undergo chemical reactions during flight, significantly increasing fireball diameter and duration. SEM and XRD analyses confirm the presence of distinct oxide layers and reaction products on fragment surfaces, with the reaction primarily driven by oxidation triggered by adiabatic heating following casing fragmentation. Based on the traditional fragment mass distribution model, the introduction of the reaction degree coefficient α and energy release coefficient β resulted in a modified model that reduced prediction errors for the average mass of fragments from Zr-based reactive materials to within 10%. The study demonstrates that Zr-based reactive material casings exhibit higher energy release efficiency and damage enhancement potential, providing theoretical basis and experimental support for the application of reactive materials in high-efficiency damage warheads.