USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

George P Dixon

Joe A Martin

Henry J John, Jr

Carl C Halsey

Don Thompson

Eddie R Celestine

Will Carey, Jr

This invention relates to an apparatus for explosively dispersing particles of reactive metals into the atmosphere to form a fuel-air explosive. Also, this invention relates to a composition, which enhances the performance of metal augmented charge (MAC) devices. The metal augmented charge (MAC) includes flaked aluminum powder and polytetrafluorethylene. The MAC is pressed into solid billets. A preferred embodiment of the present invention involves a system with heavy-walled warhead, which comprises a canister and a cylinder of MAC disposed in the canister, so that said cylinder is in contact with the interior wall of the canister. Further, a high explosive is disposed in the cylinder with a fuze in direct contact with the high explosive, in such a way that the fuze detonates the high explosive.

Metal augmented charge

A thermal barrier fabricated from pumice, or pumice-like material, and a suitable binder is provided. It may be formed as a self-supporting or load-bearing structural member, or as a thick coating for IR signature reduction. A first embodiment may be used to build a structure, e.g., a room onboard a ship that serves as an effective thermal barrier. Should a fire start in the room, the thermal barrier prevents rapid spreading of the fire and provides crews additional time to fight the fire. A second embodiment, as a thick coating, reduces the IR signature of a radiating body, such as an exhaust stack, by a factor of four. This thick coating helps shield an object from IR surveillance devices or seekers, resulting in much shorter acquisition and tracking times for these IR devices and seekers. In addition to benefits as a thermal barrier, structural members using concepts disclosed for this invention may provide inherent blast and shock resistance.

Thermal barrier and method of use

A lead-free percussion primer composition and a percussion cup containing e composition. The lead-free percussion primer composition is comprised of a mixture of about 45 wt % aluminum powder having an outer coating of aluminum oxide and molybdenum trioxide powder or a mixture of about 50 wt % aluminum powder having an outer coating of aluminum oxide and polytetrafluoroethylene powder. The aluminum powder, molybdenum trioxide powder and polytetrafluoroethylene powder has a particle size of 0.1 .mu.m or less, more preferably a particle size of from about 200-500 angstroms.

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Ridgecrest, CA, United States of America

George P Dixon