Explosive opening switch utilizing shockwave induced conduction in PMMA and PVC

It is known that PMMA and PVC become conductive under shock compression. However, to develop an opening switch, the material’s recovery from conductor back to insulator is critical. Heating must be minimized in order to optimize recovery. Two sources of heat in this switch include shock induced heating and switch loss heating, which should be balanced for optimal results. Furthermore, it is also important to determine if the observed switching behavior is due to shock unloading or intrinsic material relaxation properties. In the extreme case of recovery, bulk breakdown may become an issue. This paper presents experimental data and discusses initial results as they relate to the development of an opening switch.