Abstract: A device used in fishing has first and second, water absorbing, substantially planar, drying pads. A first polymeric bag lies along one of the drying pads. A hydrophilic, thixotropic material is contained inside the first polymeric bag. A small hole is located closely adjacent to or at a lower corner of the first polymeric bag, such that the hydrophilic, thixotropic material will be retained in the first polymeric bag unless the first polymeric bag is squeezed to extrude the hydrophilic, thixotropic material from the first polymeric bag. A second polymeric bag lies along the other of the drying pads. A sheet of open celled, foamed polymeric material is contained in the second polymeric bag. Finely powdered amorphous hydrophobic fumed silica is also contained in the second polymeric bag, with the fumed silica permeating the open cells of the sheet of open celled, foamed polymeric material. A pin hole is provided in a side wall of the second polymeric bag.

Abstract: A method of bonding propellant to a rocket motor casing using the nitrene insertion reaction is disclosed.

Abstract: Mechanical properties of composite modified double-base propellant are improved by coating fillers for the propellant with a crosslinked, binder insoluble coating having reactive surface isocyanate groups. The reactive isocyanate groups become chemically bound to the nitrocellulose binder of the propellant during propellant cure. Failure of the propellant at the binder-filler interface under conditions of stress is substantially reduced.