US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Other

H William Voigt, Jr

Lawrence W Pell

Jean P Picard

Bernard D Strauss

Bernard R Banker

A cast explosive composite of a nitramine which has been precoated, and T The nitramine can be, for example, cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX) or cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX). The precoating can be a TNT-insoluble wax or an anti-exuding material, such as one of cellulose acetate propionate and epoxy liquids. Methods for improving the safety of a cast explosive composite and for improving the relative reaction rate of such a composite are also shown.

Process to enhance safety of cast explosive composite

A method of making cast 60/40 RDX/TNT explosives in which RDX is admixed in TNT to form a safer and more effective explosive mixture. The method includes the steps of admixing a latex emulsion with RDX in an amount sufficient to at least partially coat the RDX with the latex, and removing excess moisture from the admixture. The coated explosive is added to the TNT to form a casting mixture and thereafter solidified to form the 60/40 explosive. In a preferred embodiment, the latex is selected from polyethlyene latexes, polyurethane latexes and acrylic latexes.

Simplified emulsion coating of crystalline explosives in a TNT melt

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

An improved process of making shaped explosives for a shaped charge device. n the process, the crystalline explosive is divided into two parts. One part of the explosive is coated with a liquid prepolymer, and the second part is coated with a liquid curing agent. The two parts are combined, shaped, and consolidated at room temperature under a pressure of 20000 psi for a dwell time of one minute to produce a shaped explosive.

Process for unitary shaped-charge structure

A liquid epoxy plasticizer is added to a bulk quantity of nitroglycerin to ender the same stable in storage and to enhance its safety relative explosion.

Storage stable nitroglycerin

A process is provided for preparing a composition composed of TNT and a tmoplastic organic polymer containing as high as 30-35% of the polymer, in the form of a granular product, which is rapidly soluble in a TNT melt. The process involves preparing a solution of the TNT and the polymer in methyl ethyl ketone solvent and diluting the solution with water to precipitate the TNT-polymer composition as granules, which can be readily separated by filtration and are rapidly soluble in molten TNT.

Preparation of TNT-thermoplastic polymer granules readily soluble in a

Castable high explosive compositions of generally improved physical characteristics consist essentially of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and about 0.05 to 10% by weight of the TNT of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, which is soluble in the trinitrotoluene and is fully reacted, i.e. contains essentially no free isocyanate groups, prior to incorporation thereof in the explosive composition.

Castable TNT compositions containing a broad spectrum preformed

The impact resistance of particulate RDX and HMX explosives is increased h a minimum loss of explosive output by admixture of about 1 to 9% of a particulate second explosive of the group 1,3,6,8-tetranitrocarbazole, 2,4,6,2', 4',6'-hexanitrooxanilide and ammonium picrate. Pressable explosive compositions of even greater impact resistance are obtained by coating the particulate dual explosive with 1 to 5% of a binder, such as petrolatum.

Impact resistant pressable explosive composition of high energetic

A castable explosive containing TNT, which in solidified form is essentia free from oil exudation and voids and can be remelted and reused without loss of homogeneity and explosive properties, is produced by incorporating in the molten TNT explosive a polyurethane elastomer-producing system containing an organic polyisocyanate, a hydroxyl-terminated butadiene polymer liquid resin and an abietyl alcohol.

Cast TNT explosive containing polyurethane elastomer which is free from

Composite explosive slurries of good stability and flow properties are obned by dispersing particulate solid components, e.g. RDX, NH.sub.4 NO.sub.3 and Al, in molten TNT in the presence of a small amount of arabinogalactan or gum arabic to inhibit segregation of the suspended solids.

Process for suspending particulate additives in molten TNT

Black powder pills of excellent ignition properties are obtained by a simfied process, wherein an aqueous solution of KNO.sub.3 is introduced into an alcoholic medium, such as ethanol, in the presence of finely divided particles of sulfur and wood charcoal and/or carbon black and a small amount of a polyvinyl pyrrolidone, whereby the KNO.sub.3 is precipitated in finely divided form in intimate mixture with the particles of sulfur and carbon. The resulting particulate mixture contains an extremely thin surface film of adsorbed polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and is separated from the liquid and dried. The modified black powder thus obtained can be safely handled in the dry state and compressed into pills possessing ignition properties equivalent to standard black powder granules. The novel process provides excellent particle size control and reproducibility and eliminates time consuming, hazardous steps and special apparatus used in the conventional commercial black powder process.

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Stanhope, NJ, United States of America

H William Voigt, Jr