US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Karl Oyler

Neha Mehta

Gartung Cheng

Michael D Williams

John William Fronabarger

Jesse J Sabatini

Christopher Csernica

Jerry S Salan

Steven H Marino

Akash Shah

John Marin

Pamela Tran

Shannon Lenahan

Kin Yee

Lead free microdet electric detonators comprising a bridgewire having milled DBX-1 as a spot charge and unmilled DBX-1 as the intermediate material. Such improved microdet electric detonator is free of lead azide and lead styphnate, but with comparable stability, power and sensitivity to current lead-based M100 electric detonators.

Electric detonator with milled and unmilled DBX-1

A method of manufacture of the primary explosive material copper(I) 5-nitrotetazolate (DBX-1) by a synthesis starting with 5-aminotetrazolate (5-AT); wherein, the synthesis provides intermediates acid copper salt of 5-NT and sodium 5-nitrotetrazolate (NaNT) sodium 5-nitrotetrazolate (NaNT)&#x2014;that are both, free of any 5-aminotetrazolate (5-AT) starting material&#x2014;such that the subsequent production of the DBX-1 is not inhibited. Further, this method utilizes an internal filter within the reactor&#x2014;to minimize handling of explosively dangerous intermediates.

Synthesis of copper(I) 5-nitrotetrazolate

A non-toxic primer mix in which DBX-1 (copper(I) 5-nitrotetrazole) acts as the primary explosive portion of the primer. Furthermore, in this mix, boron carbide (BC) replaces the traditional frictionator/fuel, toxic antimony trisulfide. In addition, potassium nitrate replaces the toxic barium nitrate (BaNO)) as the oxidizer, providing an ignition flame from the primer in a pyrotechnic reaction. The non-toxic primer therefore embodies a lead-free, barium-free, antimony-free explosive material that can include added fuels, sensitizers, explosives and/or binders.

Non-toxic primer mix

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Karl Oyler