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Effects of Very Small Particle Size on Processing and Safety Properties of Energetic Formulations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Robert Wardle
Affiliation:
ATK Thiokol Propulsion, P.O. Box 707, Brigham City, UT 84302–0707.
Kenneth Lee
Affiliation:
ATK Thiokol Propulsion, P.O. Box 707, Brigham City, UT 84302–0707.
Jeff Akester
Affiliation:
ATK Thiokol Propulsion, P.O. Box 707, Brigham City, UT 84302–0707.
Paul Braithwaite
Affiliation:
ATK Thiokol Propulsion, P.O. Box 707, Brigham City, UT 84302–0707.
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Abstract

Described in this paper are ongoing research efforts at ATK Thiokol on new formulations of gun propellants and explosives containing nano-sized materials. Funding for this work was provided both internally and by ARDEC. The nano-material properties as well as selected properties of intermediate compositions are reported.

The explosives section of this paper focuses on the theoretical evaluation of nano-aluminum in explosives. The theoretical cylinder expansion energy of two common aluminized explosives, PAX-3 and PAX-28, are examined. The comparison examines the effect of aluminum content in small aluminum particles on metal pushing performance at V/V0 = 6.5.

ATK Thiokol and TACOM-ARDEC have teamed together to study the effect of nano-sized materials on advanced ETPE gun propellants. The gun propellant section of this paper focuses on the impact of nano-sized additives, specifically TiO2 and aluminum, on selected ETPE propellants. The safety properties of the nano-aluminum and nano-TiO2 analogs of two previously developed gun propellants, TGD-031 and TGD-035, are presented.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

REFERENCES

1. Braithwaite, P., Harris, L., Manning, T., and Klingaman, K., “Early Evaluation of Nano Materials in ETPE Propellants,” JANNAF PDCS/SEPS Joint Meeting, Charlottesville, VA, March 2003.Google Scholar
2. Nicolich, S., and Akester, J., “Nano Formulation Efforts”, Advanced Energetics Technical Exchange Meeting,” Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD., September 2003.Google Scholar