Alliant Techsystems Inc.

Thiokol Corporation

Cordant Technologies Inc.

Thomas K Highsmith

Robert B Wardle

Gary K Lund

Robert M Hajik

Reed J Blau

Daniel W Doll

Louis F Cannizzo

Harold E Johnston

Jami M Hanks

Jerald C Hinshaw

Jeffrey C Bottaro

Stephen P Velarde

Andrew J Sanderson

Steven R Wassom

W Wayne Edwards

Michael D Blair

Carol J Hinshaw

John B Niles

William W Edwards

Roger R Hendrickson

Corey S McLeod

Joel Dever

William D Starrett

A method is provided for the synthesis of nitramines and the recovery of the nitramines from a clathrate.

Process for the synthesis and recovery of nitramines

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 method and device for producing a controlled combustion by placing a combustion chamber in communication with a feed chamber that contains a solid propellant/body, introducing at least a portion of the body into the combustion chamber, isolating the combustion chamber from the feed chamber, and igniting the solid propellant in the combustion chamber while the combustion chamber is isolated from the feed chamber.

Digital solid rocket motor and gas generator

This melt-cast explosive shares comparable explosive properties to those of COMP B explosives and is melt-pourable and castable under conditions comparable to those of COMP B explosives, but experiences less impact, shock, and thermal sensitivity and avoids the issues of toxicity associated with COMP B. A fundamental and well-accepted component of COMP B, i.e., trinitrotoluene (TNT), is replaced with one or more mononitro-substituted or dinitro-substituted melt-cast binders, such as dinitroanisole, which can be melt cast without presenting the toxicity drawbacks experienced with the use of TNT. The melt-cast binder can also be combined with a processing aid selected from the group consisting of alkylnitroanilines and arylnitroanilines. Preferably, the composition also includes coarse oxidizer particles and energetic filler in fine particulate form.

Reduced sensitivity melt-cast explosives

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

2,2-dinitro-1,3-propanediol-diformate is a novel low sensitivity, energetic plasticizer that is useful in explosive and propellant compositions. 2,2-dinitro-1,3-propanediol-diformate can be made by reacting 2,2-dinitro-1,3-propane diol with acetic formic anhydride in the presence of pyridine and at least one solvent.

Energetic plasticizer, and explosive and propellant composition containing same

Glycerol is nitrated with at least one nitrating source in a solvent to form a nitrated glycerol solution containing dinitroglycerin. The nitrated glycerol solution is treated with at least one cyclizing agent to convert the dinitroglycerin into glycidyl nitrate, which is polymerized into poly(glycidyl nitrate) (PGN). Distillation or other vaporization techniques are not required to remove nitroglycerin from the glycidyl nitrate prior to polymerization of the glycidyl nitrate. Rather, the nitroglycerin can be carried along with the dinitroglycerin during polymerization. As a consequence, the glycidyl nitrate is not exposed to elevated temperatures sufficient to cause accidental explosion or deflagration of the nitrate ester. Still more preferably, the glycidyl nitrate is not heated above room temperature at any time prior to polymerization. Moreover, given the high energy performance of nitroglycerin, the nitroglycerin can optionally be retained with the PGN, i.e., not washed out, for subsequent processing and end use.

Polymerization of poly(glycidyl nitrate) from high purity glycidyl nitrate synthesized from glycerol

A process is disclosed for producing prills comprised of ammonium dinitramide The prills can include, if desired, one or more thermal stabilizers, and processing aid(s). Solid particulate ADN is introduced into the top of a melting column, allowed to melt to form pre-prills while passing through a hot-zone ('heated zone') in the prilling column. The pre-prills are allowed to spheridize in the presence of an upwardly blown inert medium which is counter current to the path of the ADN in the prilling column. The flow is designed not to blow the ADN out of the prilling column. The rate of spheridization (prill formation) can, if desired, be accelerated by providing additional cooling, such as refrigeration, to the cooling zone in the prilling column. The ADN prills are suitable for use in propellants.

Thermally-stabilized prilled ammonium dinitramide particles, and process

A process for synthesizing 4,10-dinitro-2,6,8,12-tetraoxa-4,10-diazatetracyclo-[5.5.0.0.sup.5,9 0.sup.3,11 ]-dodecane ('TEX') involves combining at least one hexa-substituted piperazine derivative with a medium containing at least one nitronium anion source and at least one acid sufficiently strong to generate nitronium anions from the nitronium anion source. According to this invention, TEX yield is significantly improved by pre-heating the medium to 55.degree. C. to about 70.degree. C. and maintaining the medium from 55.degree. C. to about 70.degree. C. to permit the hexa-substituted piperazine derivative and nitronium anions to react and form the TEX. At least one NO.sub.x scavenger is added to the medium, preferably before the addition of the hexa-substituted piperazine derivative, to increase TEX yield.

Process for the large-scale synthesis of

A process of synthesizing HBIW using a mineral acid, such as perchloric acid, as the acid catalyst is disclosed. According to the process, glyoxal, adjusted to a pH from 4 to 7, and benzylamine are reacted in the presence of the mineral acid for sufficient time to form HBIW. The resulting HBIW is then isolated according to conventional separation techniques.

Synthesis of 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexabenzyl-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazatetracyclo

A solid composition for generating a nitrogen containing gas is provided. The composition includes an oxidizer and a non-azide fuel selected from a bitetrazoleamine or a derivative or a salt or complex thereof and mixtures thereof. The preferred bitetrazole-amine is bis-(1(2)H-tetrazol-5-yl)-amine, a metal salt, a salt with a nonmetallic cation of a high nitrogen content base or a complex thereof. The salts and complexes are generally metal salts and complexes. The metal can be a transition metal. Metals that have been found to be particularly useful include copper, boron, cobalt, zinc, potassium, sodium, and strontium. The oxidizer is generally a metal oxide or a metal hydroxide. The composition can include certain other components such as secondary oxidizers, burn rate modifiers, slag formers, and binders.

Bitetrazoleamine gas generant compositions

A composition is provided which has at least one salt of 5-nitraminotetrazole and an at least one oxidizer selected from among inorganic nitrates, inorganic nitrites, metal oxides, metal peroxides, organic peroxides, inorganic perchlorates, inorganic chlorates, metal hydroxides, and mixtures thereof. The compositions are useful in the gas generant field.

Gas generating compositions based on salts of 5-nitraminotetrazole

4,10-dinitro-2,6,8,12-tetraoxa-4,10-diazatetracyclo[5.5.0.0.sup.5,9 0.sup.3,11 ]dodecane is synthesized by reacting a diacyl-2,3,5,6-tetraoxypiperazine or tetraoxadiazaisowurtzitane derivative, a strong acid, and a nitrate source, such that an exothermic reaction occurs which proceeds at a temperature above ambient temperature. The reaction product is precipitated by cooling. It may be purified by washing with methanol and/or sodium bicarbonate and by simmering in nitric acid.

Growing community of inventors

North Ogden, UT, United States of America

Thomas K Highsmith