US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Bernard D Strauss

Thelma G Manning

Sam M Moy

Mark J Mezger

Joseph P Prezelski

David A George

Joseph L Prezelski

Joseph Turci

Irving H Weisman

H William Voigt, Jr

David S Downs

Carl H Roller

Arpad A Juhasz

James A Hartwell

Harold Wakeley

A high energy propellant, comprising an oxetane thermoplastic elastomer energetic binder admixed with a high energy explosive filler. The oxetane thermoplastic elastomer energetic binder preferably comprises from about five percent to about thirty percent by weight and the high energy explosive filler comprises from about seventy percent to about ninety-five percent by weight of the composition. A preferred propellant further includes an explosive plasticizer, preferably in an amount of about four percent to about seven percent of the plasticizer by weight of the propellant. The preferred filler is selected from the group consisting of CL-20, TNAZ, RDX and mixtures thereof. The preferred plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of TNAZ, BTTN, TMETN, TEGDN, BDNPA/F, methyl NENA, ethyl NENA and mixtures thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the propellant is actually a pair of high energy propellants comprising a mixture of first and second high energy propellants with the first propellant having a burning rate at least two times faster than the burning rate of the second propellant. The first propellant includes an oxetane thermoplastic elastomer energetic binder admixed with CL-20 high energy explosive filler. The second propellant including an oxetane thermoplastic elastomer energetic binder admixed with RDX high energy explosive filter. Plasticizers and relative amounts for each of the first and second propellants are the same as for the single propellant.

High energy thermoplastic elastomer propellant

A main energetic ingredient filler useful for propellant-based munitions, comprising filler particles having a fine particle size of less than about 10 micrometers diameter and a thin coating of graphite on the filler particles in an amount such that the weight of the graphite is less than about two percent of the weight of the filler particles. Preferred filler particles have a fine particle size of less than about ten micrometers diameter, and most preferred are fillers with a particle size having an average particle diameter ranging from about two to about eight micrometers. The preferred filler is selected from the group consisting of CL-20, TNAZ, NQ, RDX, HMX and mixtures thereof. Most preferred is a filler of CL-20 ground to an average particle diameter of about five to ten micrometers. The preferred amount of graphite comprises about one percent by weight of the filler particles. The filler may be formed into a propellant including a binder and a plasticizer. The method of making the main energetic ingredient filler of this invention includes the steps of grinding the filler to a fine particle size and coating graphite on the particles in an amount such that the weight of graphite is less than about two percent of the weight of the filler particles.

Reduction of energetic filler sensitivity in propellants through coating

A high energy propellant, comprising at least one oxidizer; a nitrocellul binder; an ethyl centralite stabilizer; a plasticizer; and an oxetane thermoplastic elastomer energetic binder. The oxetane thermoplastic elastomer energetic binder comprises from about zero percent to about fifteen percent by weight of the propellant. The preferred oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of CL-20, TNAZ, RDX, HMX and mixtures thereof. The oxidizer comprises from about five percent to about forth percent by weight of the propellant. The nitrocellulose binder comprises from about fifteen percent to about fifty percent by weight of the propellant and the ethyl centralite stabilizer comprises from about 0.7 percent to about 1.5 percent by weight of the propellant. The plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of TNAZ, BTTN, TMETN, TEGDN, BDNPA/F, methyl NENA, ethyl NENA and mixtures thereof. The plasticizer comprises from about five percent to about thirty-five percent by weight of the propellant.

High energy TNAZ, nitrocellulose gun propellant

A method of formulating high energy explosives and propellants, including e steps of melting the explosive at a temperature just above its melting temperature, admixing and dissolving or plasticizing a binder, and extruding or casting the resultant solution into a useful form for further forming the resulting material into a munitions. The first step in this method includes the use of any high energy explosive material. Examples of these include hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane or CL-20, 1,3,3-trinitroazetidine or TNAZ, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene or S-TNT, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene or S-TNB, HMX, RDX, butane-trio-trinitrate or BTTN, trimethylolethane trinitrate or TMETN; triethylene glycol dinitrate or TEGDN, bis, 2,2-dinitro propyl acetal/bis 2,2 dinitro propyl formal or BDNPA/F, methyl nitrato ethyl nitramine or methyl NENA, ethyl NENA, mixtures thereof and the like. Binders that are useful for the present invention include cellulose acetate butyrate, ethyl centralite, oxetane thermoplastic elastomers, nitrocellulose, HYTREL and ESTANE polymers, and the like.

Method of making high energy explosives and propellants

A multi-layer propellant and a method for making the same is provided, in ich the propellant has at least one slow burning formulation and at least one fast burning formulation, such that the ratio of these burning rates is at least 2:1. The propellant produces an impetus of at least 1300 Joules/gm. The preferred binder is a high energy oxetane thermoplastic elastomer. The preferred slow burning formulation employs RDX, while the preferred fast burning formulation employs CL-20. The two formulations are formed separately, such as in layers that are then fused, using the bonding strength of the binder. The shape may be any shape that is useful in munitions and may include one or many layers of each burning rate. Preferred shapes include a multi-layered propellant with one slow burning formulation on top and a bottom layer of the fast burning formulation. The layers may be formed from ribbons, discs, cones, truncated cones and partial spheres. The amount of binder in each formulation should be sufficient to provide a uniformly dispersed oxidizer throughout the layer. Preferred amounts of binder range from about five percent to about thirty percent by weight, based on the total weight of the propellant.

Multi-layer high energy propellants

7 The invention is an insensitive energetic composition that is an explosive and the related articles and systems. The composition has HMX or RDX as an energetic filler, a nonenergetic binder and an energetic plasticizer. The plasticizer is a nitrato-nitramine or a liquid nitrate ester. This provides a matrix with a glass transition temperature below minus 45 degrees Centigrade. In another variation, the composition can also include aluminum powder. Generally, the materials have particularly strong blast effects.

Insensitive energetic compositions, and related articles and systems and

The explosive blasting composition in this invention contains 1 to 40 pert Aluminum powder, 40 to 80 percent Cyclotetramethylene Tetranitramine, 4 to 15 percent Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, 5 to 20 percent of 1:1 mixture of bis 2,2-dinitropropyl acetate and bis 2,2-dinitropropyl formal, and, and 0.25 to 0.75 percent Tri (dioctyl Phosphato) Titanate. The method of making the above composition consists of combining Cyclotetramethylene Tetranitramine, Cellulose Acetate Buterate, 1:1 bis 2,2-dinitropropyl acetate and bis 2,2-dinitropropropyl formal, and tri (dioctyl phosphato) titanate, mixed at an elevated temperature for a period of time. Prior to blowdown, the Aluminum powder is added. to the mix. Mixing continues and blowdown is initiated to remove excess solvents for the purpose of extrusion.

Insensitive explosive composition

A gun propellant having reduced sensitivity to impact and improved burning ate, comprising crystallized NNHT particles admixed with a binder and at least one plasticizer. In a preferred embodiment, the binder is a nitrocellulose binder and the plasticizer is a liquid nitramine plasticizer. A preferred liquid nitramine plasticizer is selected from the group of ethyl nitrato ethyl nitramine and methyl nitrato ethyl nitramine. The propellant of this invention may be used or alone or may also include a quantity of RDX propellant. The propellant is suitable to be formulated for an artillery application or for a tank system.

Insensitive gun propellant

A process for producing very-fine crystals of a nitramine explosive selec from HMX and RDX or mixtures thereof, said crystals having a positive surface charge and being sufficiently stable to shock and to impact to meet military standards as well as having acceptable explosive power and having desirable high density. Said process comprising modifying said crystals with pyrrolidone by treating nitramine explosives selected from cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX) and cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX) and mixtures thereof by (1) dissolving the nitramine in a solution of polyvinyl pyrrolidone in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, (2) precipitating the resulting polyvinyl pyrrolidone-modified nitramine crystals into cold water, which optionally contains the suspending agent, arabinogallactan, and in the case of HMX, beta seed crystals, (3) filtering the resulting suspension, (4) treating the resulting filter cake with a solution of polyvinyl pyrrolidone in 95% ethanol, filtering and drying the resulting filter cake at about 80.degree. C.-90.degree. C. to remove the ethanol and water to promote crystal density and, in the case of HMX, to convert the gamma polymorph to the denser beta polymorph and (5) recovering the resulting modified very-fine crystals of nitramine explosive.

Process of reducing shock sensitivity of explosive nitramine compounds

A high energy explosive composition containing 80 to 95 percent HMX having low susceptibility to sympathetic detonation. The composition also contains between 2.9 to 10 percent cellulose acetate butyrate, 10 to 17.1 percent of 1:1 mixture of bis 2,2-dinitropropyl acetate and bis 2,2-dinitropropyl formal, and 0.5 percent tri (dioctyl phosphato) titanate.

Insensitive high energy explosive compositions

Low (thermal) Vulnerability Ammunition or LOVA is more responsive to the rmal stimulation of the igniter compositions disclosed herein. The igniter compositions of this invention generate oxygen rich flames upon decomposition. Such igniter compositions comprise nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, potassium perchlorate and ethyl centralite. An agent comprising one or more titanate salts and/or carbon black may optionally be included in such compositions to the extent of about 0.35% w/w. Such compositions can be extruded and utilized in strand form.

Oxygen rich igniter compositions

A T.V. camera, mounted on the arm of a teleoperator remotely controlled gping hand, is used to view an object to be grasped through an in-line semi-reflective mirror and a laterally disposed reflective mirror. Alignment of the teleoperator with the object is indicated by a single superimposed image of the object on the television viewing screen. Non-alignment of the teleoperator hand and the object is indicated by double images.

Optical indexing system

A fail-safe pneumatically operated by-pass sampling valve suitable for use n hazardous chemical processes utilizes a manually operated spool valve to initiate a pneumatically operated piston driven crank to rotate a sampling valve. The sampling valve withdraws a sample amount of fluid from a process line without disturbing normal process flow. A pneumatically connected spindle valve and a plurality of limiting valves are proximately positioned and operatively connected to the piston to automatically move the piston actuating member from a normally closed non-sampling position to a sampling position and then back to a normally closed non-sampling position.

Growing community of inventors

Rockaway, NJ, United States of America

Bernard D Strauss