Abstract: Described are energetic compositions formed of a 5,5?-bistetrazole salt and a perchlorate salt, in which the energetic composition is a co-precipitated product. The 5,5?-bistetrazole salt and the perchlorate salt can be dipotassium 5,5?-bistetrazole and potassium perchlorate. The energetic composition can have a particle size distribution between 1-50 micron and/or a mean volume diameter of less than 30 micron. In a low energy electro-explosive device, an ignition element is at least partially surrounded by an acceptor formed of this energetic composition, and the ignition element can be a bridgewire, a thin film bridge, a semiconductor bridge, or a reactive semiconductor bridge.

Abstract: Additive Manufacturing (AM) is used to make aids that target the training of K-9s to detect explosives. The process uses mixtures of explosives and matrices commonly used in AM. The explosives are formulated into a mixture with the matrix and printed using AM techniques and equipment. The explosive concentrations are kept less than 10% by wt. of the mixture to conform to requirements of shipping and handling.

Abstract: Nanocrystalline metal powders comprising tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium and/or niobium can be synthesized using a combustion reaction. Methods for synthesizing the nanocrystalline metal powders are characterized by forming a combustion synthesis solution by dissolving in water an oxidizer, a fuel, and a base-soluble, ammonium precursor of tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium, or niobium in amounts that yield a stoichiometric burn when combusted. The combustion synthesis solution is then heated to a temperature sufficient to substantially remove water and to initiate a self-sustaining combustion reaction. The resulting powder can be subsequently reduced to metal form by heating in a reducing gas environment.

Abstract: The propulsion system for the acceleration of projectiles is based on a multi-perforated grain propellant and is composed from nitrocellulose, a crystalline energy carrier of a nitramine type and an inert plasticizing additive. The number of perforations is 2 to 6, preferably 4. The propellant grains can have round or polygonic profiles, depending on the number of perforations. The preferred grain geometry is cubic with a rectangular grain profile. The nitramine compound contains a structural element of the general chemical structure formula R—N—NO2, where R is a residual group. The nitramine compound is present in a concentration in the range from 0 to 35% by mass, in particular in the range from 5 to 25% by mass. The nitramine compound is preferably RDX. The inert plasticizing additive is a water-insoluble polyoxo compound, if necessary in combination with a substance containing carboxyl groups. In layers near the surface an increased concentration can be present.

Abstract: For production of a propellant charge powder, especially for medium and large calibers, in a process in which the solid is incorporated together with a liquid in a mixing and drying process into the channels of a granular green material and compacted therein to form a plug, the solid, under otherwise identical process conditions, is set within a setting range of >0-0.5% by weight based on the weight of the granular green material. For more significant lowering of the maximum pressure within an upper temperature range and for more significant raising of the maximum pressure within a lower temperature range of the application temperature range, an increased amount of solid is used. The solid is a substance whose melting point is at least 10° C., especially 20° C., above a maximum use temperature of the propellant charge powder and which is inert toward the granular green material. Since the plug consists virtually exclusively of inert material, a high ballistic stability is achieved.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing training aid materials for detecting homemade explosives includes spreading an explosive powder on a porous surface, storing the surface in a container that facilitates sublimation of the explosive powder such that the explosive powder redeposits onto the surface and into the pores over a period of time, and removing the surface from the container after the period of time to yield training aid materials. An additional method includes preparing a dilute solution of an explosive reaction mixture, and depositing the dilute solution on a surface prior to formation of an explosive product by the explosive reaction mixture. The surface is stored in a contain that facilitates formation of the explosive product, and removed after a period of time and cleaned to remove unreacted precursors to yield training aid materials.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a premeasured compressed charge in which the compressed charge has a leading end portion with a smaller dimension than both a trailing end portion and a desired caliber of the intended firearm and the trailing end portion has a larger diagonal dimension than the desired caliber of the firearm. The method comprises the steps of providing a mold with cavities, filling the mold cavities with gunpowder, pressing gunpowder to form a compressed charge so that one of a density and a compaction of the gunpowder, adjacent the leading end portion of the compressed charge, is about 0% to about 5% less than the density or the compaction of the gunpowder adjacent the trailing end portion to facilitate a more complete combustion of the compressed charge upon discharge of the firearm, and removing the compressed charge from the cavities.

Abstract: An inflator (30) comprises at least one combustion chamber (34), filled with a plurality of solid propellant pellets (10), each of the solid propellant pellets (10) including a surface having a breaking point (19) which is delimited at least by two converging surfaces (28) produced by pressing. A method of manufacturing solid propellant pellets (10), includes the steps of providing a solid propellant (12), pressing the solid propellant (12) into a pellet blank (16), the pellet blank (16) having at least one predetermined breaking point (18) which divides the pellet blank (16) into at least two subareas (20), and breaking the pellet blank (16) along the at least one predetermined breaking point (18), wherein each of the at least two subareas (20) forms a solid propellant pellet (10).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a premeasured compressed charge in which the compressed charge has a leading end portion with a smaller dimension than both a trailing end portion and a desired caliber of the intended firearm and the trailing end portion has a larger diagonal dimension than the desired caliber of the firearm. The method comprises the steps of providing a mold with cavities, filling the mold cavities with gunpowder, pressing gunpowder to form a compressed charge so that one of a density and a compaction of the gunpowder, adjacent the leading end portion of the compressed charge, is about 0% to about 5% less than the density or the compaction of the gunpowder adjacent the trailing end portion to facilitate a more complete combustion of the compressed charge upon discharge of the firearm, and removing the compressed charge from the cavities.

Abstract: Propellant compositions are provided herein for use in small arms cartridges. Such propellant compositions include a cellulose-based organic fuel, a non-azide, nitrogen-containing primary organic oxidizer and a secondary nitrate, perchlorate, chlorate of peroxide oxidizer. Preferably, such compositions are in the form of extruded shaped hollow cylindrical grains having dimensions that makes it loadable in a muzzleloader firearm or small calibre firearm cartridge case. Ignition grains are also provided for use alone or in a mixture with the propellant compositions. When used in a small calibre firearm or muzzleloader, the temperature of combustion is at a level that ensures substantially complete combustion of the fuel during firing so that the products of combustion are mostly gaseous.

Abstract: A method for a vacuum process of isostatic pressing of powder material comprises preparing an explosive charged rubber bag by charging a rubber bag with powder, forming a vacuum environment by putting the explosive charged rubber bag in a vacuum box, sealing an inlet of the explosive charged rubber bag which is in a vacuum state, and maintaining the vacuum state by putting the explosive charged rubber bag in a fluid contained in a reservoir by a predetermined depth in a state that the inlet of the explosive charged rubber bag has been sealed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel process for the production of casting powder with high ntirocellulose content, and casting multiple-base rocket propellant including nitroglycerin formulated from such casting powder.

Abstract: A method for supplying a pyrotechnic material slurry to a container, includes, taking out a pyrotechnic material slurry, stored inside a storage container, from the bottom portion of the storage container or a vicinity thereof, sealing the exposed surface of the pyrotechnic material slurry with a sealing material, and maintaining the sealed state of the pyrotechnic material slurry in the process of supplying the pyrotechnic material slurry to the container.

Abstract: Compositions and methods relate to gas generants used in inflatable restraint systems. The gas generant grains include a fuel mixture having at least one fuel and at least one oxidizer, which have a burn rate that is susceptible to pressure sensitivity during combustion. The gas generant composition further includes a plurality of pressure sensitivity modifying glass fiber particles distributed therein to lessen the pressure sensitivity and/or to increase combustion stability of the gas generant. Such gas generants can be formed via spray drying techniques.

Abstract: Perchlorate-free green flare compositions are disclosed which, when burned, produce green smoke and flames. Methods of producing the compositions are also disclosed.

Abstract: A clean burning premeasured compressed charge for use in black powder firearms as well as cartridges. The premeasured compressed charge is manufactured to have a substantially desired shape which facilitates improved flame propagation by the leading end wall and along the exposed sidewall surfaces of the compressed charge to result in a more complete and rapid burning of the compressed charge both from the leading end wall toward the trailing end wall and also radially inwardly from each one of the four sidewalls toward a center of the premeasured compressed charge. The premeasured compressed charge has a leading end portion and a trailing end portion and the leading end portion is either the same size or a smaller dimension than the trailing end portion.

Abstract: The manufacture of pure, fine spherical powders has always been a problem for many materials, particularly for high-melting and highly reactive materials such as titanium, tantalum, vanadium and zirconium. The present invention provides a process and apparatus for producing such powders by rapidly heating course powders containing a gas or gases to near or above their melting point, whereby the contained gas erupts explosively to form many fine particles of the host material. The fine particles are typically, but not necessarily spheroidal, depending upon the process conditions at the time of eruption and immediately thereafter. Methods are described for producing, collecting, handling, storing and passivating said fine powders.

Abstract: A process for producing compacted free-flowing nitrocellulose based lacquer raw materials is described. The process involves pressing a nitrocellulose based lacquer feed material, which is moistened with alcohol or water, through the holes of a die. The pressing step may be performed by means of at least one circulating breaker. The process optionally comprises shearing off the compacted lacquer raw material into pieces of selected length, below the die. The compacted nitrocellulose based lacquer raw materials prepared by the process of the present invention are free flowing and have a moisture content of at least 25%.

Abstract: In this method for making multi-base propellants, pelletized nitrocellulose is coated with an electrostatically insensitive liquid elastomer precursor or non-plasticizer while wetted in a non-solvent diluent, preferably in the absence of plasticizers. The non-solvent diluent is then substantially, if not completely, removed from the coated nitrocellulose. Then, the coated pelletized nitrocellulose is mixed with a plasticizer and optionally other ingredients and fillers, including energetic fuels such as nitroguanidine. The propellant formulation is then cast, and optionally cured with an acceptable curative, such as a diisocyanate or polyisocyanate. The resulting material may be visually (i.e., to the naked eye) homogeneous. Also, the coated nitrocellulose pellets present during processing have reduced sensitivity to electrostatic discharge.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A non azide gas generant composition of nitroguanidine and phase stabilized ammonium nitrate is provided. This gas generant composition has many desirable characteristics such as little production of ash and the production of essentially toxic free exhaust gas. When nitroguanidine is compressed into a pellet it has needle shaped crystals that bend or distort. When the gas generant pellets are subjected to thermal cycling some nitroguanidine crystals will return to their native conformation resulting in pellet growth. To eliminate this pellet growth, nitroguanidine is passed through a VBM mill. The media in the VBM mill pulverizes the nitroguanidine into an amorphous crumb.

Abstract: A process for making a Teflon/aluminum composite includes providing Teflon powder and aluminum powder wherein a size of Teflon particles is about 7 to 12 times a size of aluminum particles; mixing the Teflon powder with the aluminum powder on about a 3 to 1 weight basis; pressing the mixed powder into a shape at a pressure ranging from about 6000 psi to about 16000 psi; and then sintering the pressed shape.

Abstract: A perforating charge case is made by a process that includes cold forming a material into a shape for the perforating charge case. The cold forming produces additional recrystallization nucleation sites in the material. After the cold forming, the material may be annealed to decrease sizes of grains of the material to improve a ductility of the material to increase fragment sizes of the perforating charge case when an explosive that is placed inside the perforating charge case detonates.

Abstract: A process for forming granules (e.g., alpha-HMX containing granules) from at least one particulate material comprises the steps of: (a) selecting particulates (e.g., alpha-HMX particulates) having a particle size distribution; and (b) fluidizing the particulates, whereby particulates agglomerate to form granules. Optionally, the particulates can be coated with one or more second materials, such as energetic materials or fuels. If one or more of the second materials comprise polymerizable monomers, the process can optionally further comprise the step of polymerizing those monomers in situ, either before or after the granule is formed.

Abstract: A process for the production of an exothermically reacting composition, such as a propellant or explosive, containing at least one normally solid reactive constituent comprises the steps of: forming a uniform dispersion of the ingredients of the said composition in a carrier liquid; forming droplets of said dispersion; feeding said droplets into a cooling medium at a temperature below the freezing point of said carrier liquid to form solidified droplets; and freeze-drying said solidifed droplets.

Abstract: Nitramines are one of the more expensive and often the more plentiful ingredients found in energetic materials, such as solid rocket motor propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics. By treating aluminized energetic material with an aqueous nitric acid solution containing not more than 55% by weight aqueous nitric acid at a weight ratio of aqueous nitric acid to energetic material of about 4:1 to about 6:1, most constituents of conventional aluminized energetic materials are digested into solution, with the exception of nitramines, which remain substantially insoluble in the aqueous nitric acid and can be recovered without requiring recrystallization of the nitramines. A mineral acid other than nitric acid, preferably hydrochloric acid, is added to increase the rate of aluminum digestion. Treatment of the energetic material can be performed without volatile organic solvents, thus obviating ecological, cost, and safety concerns raised by the use of volatile organic solvents.

Abstract: Processes are disclosed for making black powder and black powder substitutes without requiring binder-effective amounts of a binder and lacquers.

Abstract: A process for preparing a gas generating composition (62) for a vehicle occupant protection apparatus (110) comprises the following steps. Desired quantities of ingredients of the gas generating composition (62) measured in predetermined amounts according to the percentage of the ingredients in the gas generating composition (62) are obtained. The ingredients include an elastomeric binder (16), an oxidizer (12), and a fuel (14). The ingredients are mixed with an azeotrope (28) to form a suspension. The suspension is atomized to form a stream (48) of spheroid droplets. The spheroid droplets are contacted with a hot gas to remove the azeotrope (28) from the spray droplets and produce solid spheroid particles of the gas generating composition (62) in which the oxidizer and fuel particles are intimately mixed with each other and bound together by the elastomeric binder.

Abstract: In this process for producing a black body decoy flare, a composition which, when combusted, provides black body radiation is extruded. The compositions generally include from about 40% to about 70% metal such as magnesium or aluminum, from about 10% to about 40% polytetrafluoroethylene, and from about 8% to about 30% binder. Important to the operation of the invention is the production of carbon upon combustion of the composition. Accordingly, polyaromatic thermoplastics, such as polystyrene and dimethyl phthalate, serve as the binder.

Abstract: A manual die set for pressing explosive powder into pellets includes a ram, the ram having a head, a large diameter portion, a tapered portion, a small diameter portion and a pressing portion; a die defining an opening therethrough for receiving the ram, the opening including a large diameter portion, a tapered portion and a small diameter portion, the large diameter portion of the opening having a diameter less than or equal to about 0.002 inches larger than a diameter of the large diameter portion of the ram; a baseplate disposed in a bottom of the opening in the die; and a die holder for supporting the die and the baseplate when the manual die set is in a pressing configuration; wherein vertical alignment of the ram is maintained by insertion of the large diameter portion of the ram in the large diameter portion of the opening in the die.

Abstract: The invention is a composition containing high loadings of TNAZ that are made by crash precipitation with water as the precipitation agent. The compositions are in the form of powders, which can be formed and shaped by presseing, extrusion, etc. The TNAZ can be from about 94 to about 99% by weight of the composition.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a high performance gun propellant containing an energetic thermoplastic elastomeric binder and a high-energy oxidizer is disclosed. The process includes preparing or obtaining a molding powder of the high-energy oxidizer particles coated with the energetic thermoplastic elastomeric binder and extruding the molding powder into the desired gun propellant configuration. The high-energy oxidizer has a concentration in the range from 70% to 85%, by weight, and the energetic thermoplastic elastomeric binder has a concentration in the range from 15% to 30%, by weight. The molding powder has a particle size in the range from 200&mgr; to 2000&mgr;. Typical thermoplastic elastomeric binders include oxetane, oxirane, and nitramine backbone polymers, copolymers, and mixtures thereof. Typical high-energy oxidizers include nitramine oxidizers.