Abstract: This invention relates to Cold-Formulated Slurry Explosives with Ultra-Fine Oxidizer Solids and including perchlorates.

Abstract: A slurry explosive composition comprising at least one inorganic oxidizing salt, an aqueous liquid phase, fuel material and a sensitizing agent which agent comprises a combination of hydrophobic particles of high explosive material and gas bubbles.

Abstract: Water-in-oil emulsion blasting agent compositions are provided which are non-cap sensitive yet detonable under high heads of water and which contain as the sole oxidizing salt ammonium nitrate, an ammonium nitrate to hydrocarbon fuel weight ratio in the range of about 95:5 to about 93:7, a preferred wax to oil weight ratio in the range of from about 1:1 to about 1:4, void containing material to yield a final density at the time of manufacture of from about 1.20 to about 1.25 grams per cubic centimeter and optionally up to about 12 parts by weight of auxiliary fuel per 88 parts of the above composition. The blasting agents are capable of cartridge-to-cartridge propagation even when detonated under high heads of water when packaged in cardboard containers.

Abstract: The invention relates to water-in-oil emulsion blasting agents having a discontinuous aqueous phase, a continuous oil or water-immiscible liquid organic phase, and an emulsifier having an unsaturated hydrocarbon chain for its lipophilic portion.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of water gel explosives comprising mixing microspheres to be expanded in a concentrated solution or eutectic melt containing part of the ingredients of the finished explosive such that the microspheres can be expanded at a temperature at which there is no danger of explosion of the mixture. In particular, the solution or ment has an oxygen balance in which it poses no safety risk at the temperature required for the expansion of the microspheres. Thereafter, at a lower temperature the remaining components of the explosive including the sensitizer are mixed with this premix containing the expanded microspheres.

Abstract: Ferrite particles having a plurality of distinct Curie temperatures are encapsulated within a polymer matrix to provide tagging material especially useful in identifying explosive materials even after detonation. In one embodiment, phosphor is dispersed within the polymer matrix to facilitate collection of tag particles following detonation. The tags are also usable in tagging other articles, especially where harsh environmental conditions are likely to be encountered.

Abstract: Ferrite particles having a plurality of distinct Curie temperatures are encapsulated within a glass matrix to provide tagging material especially useful in identifying explosive materials even after detonation. In one embodiment, phosphor is dispersed within the glass matrix or an intrinsically fluorescent glass is employed to facilitate visual identification and collection of tag particles following detonation. The tags are also usable in tagging other articles, especially where harsh environmental conditions are likely to be encountered.

Abstract: A solid propellant formulation and method of preparation which has enhanced urning rate characteristics and improved mechanical properties. The formulation comprises a binder, a fuel and an inorganic oxidizer consisting of ammonium perchlorate whiskers which are oriented along the direction of shear.

Abstract: 1. A gelled mechanically stable high energy fuel composition comprising a hydrazine selected from the group consisting of hydrazine, unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine and mixtures thereof and an amount of metal platelets effective to produce a mechanically stable gel, said platelets having a diameter of less than about 44 microns and an average diameter of about 1 micron, and said metal platelets being composed of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, beryllium and aluminum-beryllium alloy.

Abstract: A slurry explosive composition comprising of inorganic salt, fuel, and a liquid solvent, disperser or carrier for the salt, the composition also containing, as sensitizer a synergistic mixture of polyvinyl chloride and flake aluminium.

Abstract: A pourable blasting agent of high water resistance, having controlled density and bulk blasting strength greater than that of conventional ammonium nitrate-fuel oil (ANFO) mixtures, comprises two main essential components, i.e. (1) 40 to 60% by weight of a dry or essentially dry, solid, particulate oxidizer salt, with or without added fuel oil for oxygen balance and (2) 60 to 40% of a water-in-oil emulsion containing oxidizer salt dissolved in water and combined with an oily vehicle held in stable emulsion condition with a small quantity of water-in-oil emulsifier, the emulsion also containing a density controlled sensitizer such as hollow glass beads, polystyrene beads, microballoons or equivalent. The first component is preferably a fertilizer grade prilled ammonium nitrate, with or without added oil; the second is of heavy oil or grease consistency having high resistance to the extraction of salt therefrom in water and being of substantially higher bulk density than the particulate material.

Abstract: A new gelatine explosive composition is disclosed comprising mixtures of nitric esters, ortho-nitro-toluene, blasting soluble nitrocotton, oxidizing salts, fuels and at least one dispersing agent. Said gelatine explosive composition is markedly reduced in the quantities of liquid nitric esters and blasting soluble nitrocotton content.

Abstract: A water-gel explosive comprising ammonium nitrate alone or in admixture with other inorganic oxidized acid salt, water, nitroparaffin having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, a gelatinizing agent for water, a gelatinizing agent for nitroparaffin, glass hollow microspheres and an amide has a high initiation sensitivity even at low temperature.

Abstract: Ternary explosive compositions of the "hexolite" type are described in which a part of the hexogen is replaced by dinitroglycoluril. The modified hexolites obtained have enhanced shattering properties and are less expensive than conventional hexolites containing the same proportion of trinitrotoluene. Fine octogen and/or hexo-octo, as well as conventional hexolite modifiers, can be incorporated into the compositions.The compositions according to the invention have the same applications as conventional hexolites.

Abstract: The invention relates to emulsified aqueous explosive blasting compositions having a discontinuous aqueous phase, a continuous oil or water-immiscible liquid organic phase, and a fatty acid amine or ammonium salt emulsifier having a chain length ranging from 14 to 22 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A slurry explosive composition comprising inorganic oxidizing salt and a liquid solvent, dispenser or carrier for the salt, which liquid is emulsified with a sensitizing liquid aliphatic mononitrate containing from 3 to 8 carbon atoms per molecule.

Abstract: A slurry explosive composition which contains fibrous material as a rheology modifying agent.

Abstract: Small particles for tagging of objects to be identified comprise luminescent material plus other material which provides information indicia for tagging purposes. Included in the tagging particles are very small particles of magnetic material which is reflective both for the radiations which excite the luminescent material and also for the radiations generated by the excited luminescent material. The inclusion of the reflective magnetic particles introduces only a minimal decrease in the effectiveness of the luminescent material to provide a spotting or locating function. The particles may thus be located either by their luminescent response, or by magnetic pickup, or both. Inorganic species of these particles are especially useful for tagging explosives for post-explosion indentification of the explosives.

Abstract: A method of preparing high burning rate solid propellant grains that have od mechanical properties and the high burning rate solid propellant grains prepared from a multimodal blend of at least one ultra-high burning rate propellant that has been cured and ground to a predetermined particle size of from about 100 microns (0.1 millimeter) to about 5 millimeters and at least one uncured propellant composition that has high tensile strength and compatibility with the ultra-high burning rate propellant and that serves as a binder for the solid propellant grain when cured. The solid propellant grain which has good mechanical and physical properties and a high burning rate burns with a flame that moves through the grain as a plane wave. Even though the individual components have different burning rates, it is the rate of the plane wave through the grain that is controlled by the averaging of the rate of burning through each of the particles of the multimodal blend and the binder propellant.

Abstract: An explosive grade aluminium composition comprises an admixture of aluminium powder and a subdivided carrier therefor having a bulk density less than or equal to that of the aluminium powder and wherein at least part of the powder adheres to the carrier, a coating agent being optionally included in the admixture to facilitate the adhesion of the powder to the carrier.

Abstract: Finely divided aluminum oxide increases the burning rate, reduces the pressure exponent at high pressures and stabilizes the combustion of solid propellant compositions.

Abstract: Solid propellant compositions having graphite fibers dispersed throughout the propellant are provided. The graphite fibers augment the burning rate of the solid propellant.

Abstract: Finely divided cupric sulfide increases the burning rate, and reduces the pressure exponent of solid propellant compositions.

Abstract: An improvement in the known method of tagging individual units of production of a substance with microparticles for retrospective identification is disclosed. The improvement comprises the use of microparticles which are encoded with an orderly sequence of visually distinguishable colored segments. Decoding of the microparticles can be accomplished with a microscope or other magnifying device.

Abstract: Phosphor-explosive material combination and method wherein a small amount of inorganic phosphor is mixed with explosive material to provide an indicia or label of information regarding the explosive, either before or after detonation of same. The phosphor can readily be located with an ultraviolet lamp even after the explosive has been detonated, and by correlating the phosphor emission spectra with data known about the explosive when it is manufactured, the explosive can be identified. Line-emitting phosphors are especially useful because of their distinctive emision characteristics, which provide a vast number of possible combinations of emissions which are correlated against the data known about the explosive when it is manufactured. Preferably the phosphor is formed as a combination of finely divided "spotter" phosphor and finely divided "coding" material held together by a binder in the form of small conglomerates, in order to facilitate initial location and later identification of same.

Abstract: Phosphor-explosive material combination and method wherein a small amount of inorganic phosphor is mixed with explosive material to provide an indicia or label of information regarding the explosive, either before or after detonation of same. The phosphor can readily be located with an ultraviolet lamp even after the explosive has been detonated, and by correlating the phosphor emission spectra with data known about the explosive when it is manufactured, the explosive can be identified. Line-emitting phosphors are especially useful because of their distinctive emission characteristics, which provide a vast number of possible combinations of emissions which are correlated against the data known about the explosive when it is manufactured. Preferably the phosphor is formed as a combination of finely divided "spotter" phosphor and finely divided "coding" material held together by a binder in the form of small conglomerates, in order to facilitate initial location and later identification of same.

Abstract: A foamed or aerated explosive composition containing a water-soluble organic nitrate sensitizer is provided which retains sensitivity for long periods in small diameter cartridges. The dissipation or migration of entrained air or gas in the composition is substantially prevented by incorporating a blend of a foaming surfactant and a stabilizing surfactant in chosen proportions.

Abstract: An inorganic fluorescent phosphor consisting of a spotting phosphor and a coding phosphor is employed for tagging purposes, as for example, tagging explosives to provide post detonation information. The spotting phosphor consists of an inorganic fluorescent material which is excited by UV to produce readily detectable band-type emission, but which produces little or no emission at certain excitation wave lengths. The coding phosphor consists of a different inorganic fluorescent material which emits a line-type emission and which fluoresces efficiently at those excitation wave lengths at which the spotting phosphor produces little or no emission. Exemplary spotting phosphors are zinc silicate and calcium silicate activated by manganese, which show no excitation at a UV radiation of 325 nm. Suitable coding phosphors are yttrium vanadate activated by trivalent rare earth ions, such as europium, thulium, erbium, dysprosium or Samarium.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are described for applying a wax or plastic coating to phosphor grains to be added to explosives for tagging purposes. The coating is obtained by spraying from a nozzle a homogenous mixture of molten coating material and phosphor grains and permitting the droplets thus formed to solidify during free fall through a cooling medium such as air. The coated phosphors thus obtained when incorporated into an explosive render the mixture less sensitive to friction and impact than the corresponding mixture employing uncoated phosphors.

Abstract: This invention involves the incorporation of a relatively small quantity of irconium or other pyrophoric material in the high explosive composition of a munition, which provides incendiary, terrain illumination, spotting, and enhanced antipersonnel properties to the munition with little or no diminution of its explosive and fragmentation power.

Abstract: Propelling charge composition of a mixture of two powder components of different burning rates wherein the quicker burning powder component has a protective coating which retards its combustion.

Abstract: 1. A low detonation velocity explosive consisting essentially of a particulate mixture of ortho-boric acid and trinitrotoluene, said mixture containing from about 25 percent to about 65 percent by weight of ortho-boric acid, said ortho-boric acid comprised of from 60 percent to 90 percent of spherical particles having a mean particle size of about 275 microns and 10 percent to 40 percent of spherical particles having a particle size less than about 44 microns.

Abstract: 1. An explosive slurry composition comprising a substantially saturated solution of ammonium nitrate, and suspended solids in said solution to form said slurry, said solids being comprised of at least 50 parts by weight of ammonium nitrate, and not more than 50 parts by weight of finely divided metallic aluminum of character such as to increase the sensitivity of said composition to detonation, the total nitrate comprising at least 50% of the total composition, said composition including water comprising at least 3 percent by weight of the total composition. 2. An ammonium nitrate explosive composition consisting essentially of particulate ammonium nitrate in admixture with an aqueous solution saturated with respect to ammonium nitrate, and with up to 35 per cent by weight of an inorganic sensitizer which taken alone is a stable solid at a temperature of at least 100.degree.C., the amount of water being from 3 to 25 per cent by weight of the total composition. 3.

Abstract: A gas-generating composition comprising an oxidizer, a non-metal, preferably organic, fuel component, and a metal fuel staple component of a particular size.

Abstract: Crushed ammonium nitrate fueled with the proper nitropropane lower alcohol mix is a non cap-sensitive, field-mixable blasting agent that produces two to four times the detonation pressure obtainable with AN/FO, when loaded to densities between 1.10 and 1.55 by use of a simple over-hole mechanical device.

Abstract: Slurry blasting compositions of low water content and high density, including substantial proportions of calcium nitrate as an oxidizer component, can be sensitized in various ways to produce economical explosive compositions. Sensitizers may include aluminum powder, granular explosives such as smokeless powder, TNT, etc.; a particularly preferred sensitizer or fuel is ethylene glycol. Solid carbonaceous fuels and conventional thickeners may be added. The calcium nitrate may be produced directly from burned lime with nitric acid and/or other nitrates.

Abstract: Phosphor-explosive material combination and method wherein a small amount of inorganic phosphor is mixed with explosive material to provide an indicia or label of information regarding the explosive, either before or after detonation of same. The phosphor can readily be located with an ultraviolet lamp even after the explosive has been detonated, and by correlating the phosphor emission spectra with data known about the explosive when it is manufactured, the explosive can be identified. Line-emitting phosphors are especially useful because of their distinctive emission characteristics, which provide a vast number of possible combinations of emission which are correlated against the data known about the explosive when it is manufactured. Preferably the phosphor is formed as a combination of finely divided "spotter" phosphor and finely divided "coding" material held together by a binder in the form of small conglomerates, in order to facilitate initial location and later identification of same.