Electrical Properties of Different Materials Studied by Sub-Microsecond Underwater Electrical Explosions of Single Wires

Studies of properties of various materials at extreme conditions is subject which is related to Warm Dense Plasma and High Energy Density Matter. We present results of underwater electrical explosions of wires made from different metals, namely Cu, Al, Mo, Sn, Pt, Fe, Ni, Ta, Au, Zn, and Ti, obtained in a critically damped discharge using sub-microsecond generator [1]. Time resolved shadow images obtained by a streak camera show several weak shocks generated for each material, and are compared to one-dimensional hydrodynamical simulation coupled with Equation of States of corresponding materials detailing the expansion of wire’s plasma channel. Using waveforms of the discharge current and resistive voltage and images, energy deposition into the wires is calculated and compared to tabulated data for solid - liquid - vapor phase transitions for each material. Parameters regarding plasma non-ideality, electron density, temperature and conductivity are estimated as well.