Formation of Nanowhiskers in Tungsten-Containing Syntactic Foam under Nanosecond Relativistic Electron Beam

Abstract

The formation of nanowhiskers in tungsten-containing syntactic foam under nanosecond relativistic electron beam has been experimentally studied. It has been demonstrated that a single impact of relativistic electron beam with a flux density of 230–240 J/cm² and a total pulse duration of 150 ns on syntactic foam leads to the collapse of microspheres of more than 40 μm in diameter with the formation of filamentous structures up to 10 μm in length and about 100 nm in diameter on their surface. There is complex kinetics of substance ablation from the irradiated surface at a gas-plasma formation expansion rate of ~13 km/s. It has been found that nanowhiskers do not form near the emission “crater” from syntactic foam where the duration of the mechanical pressure pulse is minimal and close to the relativistic electron beam impact.