Influence of peak pressure and temperature on the shock-loading response of tantalum

While the deformation response of tantalum subjected to high‐rate loading has attracted considerable study, few studies have systematically investigated the influence of peak shock pressure and starting temperature on the shock response of tantalum. In this study the deformation behavior of annealed tantalum has been compared to tantalum shock pre‐strained to 7 and 15 GPa at 25 °C as well as to 7 GPa after first preheating to 200° and 400 °C. The reload yield behavior of shock prestrained Ta was found to exhibit no enhanced shock hardening compared to Ta deformed quasi‐statistically or dynamically to an equivalent strain level. In addition the reload yield behavior of Ta shock prestrained to 7 GPa at 200 or 400 °C was found to exhibit increased hardening compared to the shock prestraining at 25 °C. The shock‐hardening response of Ta is discussed in terms of defect storage and compared to that seen in fcc metals.