Microstructure, impact reactivity, and damage effectiveness of 31W-29Mo-30Zr-7Ni-3Fe energetic structural materials

• W–Mo–Zr–Ni–Fe energetic alloy fabricated by powder metallurgy. • Dual-stage energy release via alloying and oxidation under impact. • Heat release of 3380 J/g and compressive strength above 1200 MPa. • Shape and velocity govern energy release and damage performance. • Reactive fragments ignite fuel tanks with enhanced lethality. Energetic structural materials (ESMs) combine load-bearing capacity with energy release, offering multifunctional potential in impact and energy conversion applications. In this work, a 31W–29Mo–30Zr–7Ni–3Fe ESM was fabricated via powder metallurgy to enhance energy efficiency and damage effectiveness under high-velocity impact. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), quasi-static compression, and shock-induced reaction tests were conducted. The ESM exhibited a peak exothermic temperature of 569.7 °C and a heat release of 3380.2 J/g. Under impact loading, quantitative results showed that for flat-headed projectiles, peak chamber pressure increased from 0.13 MPa to 0.26 MPa and reaction efficiency from 15.56 % to 31.29 % as velocity rose from 643 m/s to 842 m/s. In contrast, spherical-headed projectiles achieved slightly lower values (0.16–0.25 MPa, 18.93–29.12 %) under comparable velocities. The material exhibited high compressive strength (≈1.22 GPa) and demonstrated excellent damage and ignition capability in target and fuel tank tests. Microstructural and phase analyses revealed that energy release is governed by sequential intermetallic formation and oxidation reactions. These results confirm the strong coupling between mechanical integrity and energetic response, underscoring the potential of W–Mo–Zr–Ni–Fe alloys for advanced reactive structural applications.