The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 30, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 09, 2001
George P. Chambers, La Plata, MD (US);
William H. Wilson, Niceville, FL (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A method for desensitizing explosives illicitly manufactured from commercial fertilizers, preferably ammonium nitrate. Ammonium nitrate prills are impregnated with microballoons which carry a desensitizing agent, preferably water. The microballoons are sufficiently small that they can be incorporated into the prills where they are not easily separated. Should the modified ammonium nitrate be used as a starting material for the manufacture of ANFO, the resulting ANFO exhibits a diminished explosive potential. The microballoons release their contents in response to a prompt shock wave which passes through the ANFO. The released water quenches the explosive reactions in AN/fuel compositions and curtails the explosive performance of the ANFO. Further, the microballoons are a benign additive having no adverse impact on the fertilizer itself, the plant material or the environment if it is instead used for its intended purpose as a fertilizer.