Alliant Techsystems Inc.

Other

Harold E Johnston

Thomas K Highsmith

Gary K Lund

Reed J Blau

Kirstin F Warner

Robert M Hajik

Jami M Hanks

Scott K Lusk

Louis F Cannizzo

Andrew J Sanderson

Kristin F Warner

A percussion primer composition that comprises an explosive and a sensitizer, the explosive being a moderately insensitive explosive having an impact sensitivity in the range from about 0.3 kp m to about 0.75 kp m. The moderately insensitive explosive may comprise CL-20, PETN, RDX, HMX, or mixtures thereof. The sensitizer may comprise aluminum, titanium, zirconium, magnesium, melamine, styrene, lithium aluminum hydride, or mixtures thereof. In some instances, the percussion primer composition may comprise the moderately insensitive explosive precipitated onto the sensitizer. The percussion primer composition may contain an oxidizer, which in certain situations comprises a conventional oxidizer or a bismuth compound. The bismuth compound is bismuth trioxide, bismuth subnitrate, bismuth tetroxide, bismuth sulfide, or mixtures thereof. A gun cartridge and other primer-containing ordnance assemblies employing the percussion primer composition are also disclosed. Methods of forming the sensitized explosive and the percussion primer are also disclosed.

Percussion primer composition and systems incorporating same

A sensitized explosive that comprises an explosive precipitated onto a sensitizer. The explosive is CL-20, PETN, RDX, HMX, or mixtures thereof and the sensitizer is aluminum, titanium, zirconium, magnesium, melamine, styrene, lithium aluminum hydride, or mixtures thereof. The sensitized explosive is used in a percussion primer that includes a bismuth compound and a melt binder. The bismuth compound is bismuth oxide, bismuth subnitrate, bismuth tetroxide, bismuth sulfide, or mixtures thereof and the melt binder is a wax having a melting point above ambient temperature, trinitrotoluene, poly(3,3-bis(azidomethyl)oxetane), poly(3-azidomethyl-3-methyloxetane), ethyl-3,5-dinitrobenzoate, or mixtures thereof. A gun cartridge and other primer-containing ordnance assemblies employing the percussion primer are also disclosed. Methods of forming the sensitized explosive and the percussion primer are also disclosed.

Methods of forming a sensitized explosive and a percussion primer

A method of forming &#x3b1;-alane. The method includes reacting aluminum trichloride and an alkali metal hydride to form an alane-ether complex solution. An aqueous diethyl ether solution is optionally added to the alane-ether complex solution to form a partially hydrolyzed ether/alane-ether complex solution. A solution of a first crystallization additive is added to the alane-ether complex solution or to the aqueous ether/alane-ether complex solution to form a crystallization solution. The first crystallization additive is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polybutadiene, polystyrene-co-polybutadiene, polyisoprene, poly-alpha-methylstyrene, polystyrene-co-polyindene, poly-alpha-pinene, and mixtures thereof. Optionally, a second crystallization additive is added to the crystallization solution. The second crystallization additive is selected from the group consisting of squalene, cyclododecatriene, norbornylene, norbornadiene, a phenyl terminated polybutadiene, 2,4-dimethyl anisole, 3,5-dimethyl anisole, 2,6-dimethyl anisole, polydimethyl siloxane, and mixtures thereof. Solvents are removed from the crystallization solution to crystallize the &#x3b1;-alane.

Method for the production of &#x3b1;-alane

A method of forming &#x3b1;-alane. The method includes reacting aluminum trichloride and an alkali metal hydride to form an alane-ether complex solution. An aqueous ether solution is optionally added to the alane-ether complex solution to form a partially hydrolyzed ether/alane-ether complex solution. A solution of a crystallization additive is added to the alane-ether complex solution or to the aqueous ether/alane-ether complex solution to form a crystallization solution. The crystallization additive is selected from the group consisting of squalene, cyclododecatriene, norbornylene, norbornadiene, a phenyl terminated polybutadiene, 2,4-dimethyl anisole, 3,5-dimethyl anisole, 2,6-dimethyl anisole, polydimethyl siloxane, and mixtures thereof. Ether is removed from the crystallization solution to crystallize the &#x3b1;-alane.

A continuous and scalable process for producing glycidyl nitrate, or glyn, from glycerin, nitric acid, and caustic wherein the process includes the reaction of glycerin and nitric acid to form dinitroglycerin and the reaction of dinitroglycerin with caustic, such as sodium hydroxide, system for producing the inventive material is also disclosed. The vessel, a second reaction vessel, and a separation apparatus.

Continuous process and system for production of glycidyl nitrate from glycerin, nitric acid and caustic and conversion of glycidyl nitrate to poly(glycidyl nitrate)

A process for producing prills containing an energetic material other than ammonium dinitramide (ADN) or ammonium nitrate (AN), is performed in a prilling column having at least one heated zone and at least one cooling zone. Solid particulate feedstock of the energetic material is introduced into said prilling column and allowed to fall through the heated zone and form melted particles as pre-prills. A countercurrent flow of inert fluid medium is sufficient for spheridization of the pre-prills into spherical pre-prills. The spherical pre-prills pass through the cooling zone in the prilling column, in which the spherical pre-prills harden into prills, while excessive condensation in the cooling zone is avoided. The prills are then collected.

Prilled energetic particles, and process for making the same

A process for preparing 4,10-dinitro-2,6,8,12-tetraoxa-4,10-diazatetracyclo&lsqb;5.5.0.0  &rsqb;-dodecane involves reacting at least one hexa-substituted piperazine derivative with at least one nitrate source and optionally at least one strong acid and heating the mixture to a temperature sufficient to induce an exothermic initial stage of the between the hexa-substituted piperazine derivative and the nitrate source. The mixture is maintained at a temperature in a range of at least ambient to not more than about 80&deg; C. during the exothermic initial stage and at least a portion of a subsequent non-exothermic intermediate stage of the reaction by cooling the mixture during at least a portion of the exothermic initial stage of the reaction so that the reaction proceeds in a controlled manner. The mixture is then cooled to a temperature sufficiently low to prevent commencement of an exothermic NO autocatalytic stage.

Synthesis for 4,10-dinitro-2,6,8,12-tetraoxa-4,10-diazatetracyclo&lsqb;5.5.0.05,903,11&rsqb;-dodecane

Nitramines are one of the more expensive and often the more plentiful ingredients found in energetic materials, such as solid rocket motor propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics. By treating aluminized energetic material with an aqueous nitric acid solution containing not more than 55% by weight aqueous nitric acid at a weight ratio of aqueous nitric acid to energetic material of about 4:1 to about 6:1, most constituents of conventional aluminized energetic materials are digested into solution, with the exception of nitramines, which remain substantially insoluble in the aqueous nitric acid and can be recovered without requiring recrystallization of the nitramines. A mineral acid other than nitric acid, preferably hydrochloric acid, is added to increase the rate of aluminum digestion. Treatment of the energetic material can be performed without volatile organic solvents, thus obviating ecological, cost, and safety concerns raised by the use of volatile organic solvents.

Method of recovery for nitramines from aluminized energetic materials

A new and distinct Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple) tree discovered as a seedling within progeny resulting from a collection of bulked seeds, taken from several varieties within the species, which is distinguished particularly by its characteristic varied expression of leaf shapes, leaf sizes and coloration. The new tree `Beni Shi En` is further characterized by forming a tree with an uncommonly dense canopy for the botanical class and by forming a small to medium sized tree at maturity, which has a weakly dominant central leader, formed by numerous slightly ascending scaffold branches, or subject to pruning, can be formed into a specimen with a rounded to broad vase-shape. Foliage coloration of this tree will vary widely as a function of location of culture, but which normally express, variably, a reddish to red-purple blush over a medium green matte top surface which has darker green striation or botches, and a clear, darker green color on the glabrous bottom surface.

Acer palmatum named `Beni Shi En`

A method of cutting facets on a gemstone to form a pentagonal shaped gem product such that the cut facets produce a five-legged star to appear beneath the gem table. The gem product produced by this method comprises a pavilion having thirty facets and fifty edges, a crown having twenty-one facets and thirty-five facets, and a five sided girdle.

Method of cutting gemstones and product

Gemstone

A compact cooking stove including a combustion area partially surrounded by a wind screen having a side opening which faces the wind to direct air to the burning fuel. An exhaust opening is formed adjacent a cooking pan placed at the top of the wind screen so that hot exhaust gases from the burning fuel pass upwardly toward the pan. In a first embodiment heat is supplied by a generally cylindrical burner plate including a recessed, central portion forming an alcohol fuel dish surrounded by a fairly broad rim. A plurality of pot-supporting tabs project upwardly from circumferentially spaced points about the rim to support a cooking pan above the fuel dish and rim. Heat from the burning fuel imparted to the bottom of the pan is radiated to the rim of the burner plate to heat the fuel in the fuel dish in order to promote vaporization of the fuel which increases the heat generated by the stove. A cooking pan is supported on several legs projecting upwardly from the top edge of the wind screen to form exhaust openings beneath the pan. When the stove of either embodiment is being transported, the rim of the cooking pan locks together with the rim of a cup to form a waterproof enclosure in which the stove components are stored. The stove is carried by inserting the belt of an individual through a pair of loops formed along the bottom of the cup.

Growing community of inventors

Brigham City, UT, United States of America

Harold E Johnston