High energy reduced sensitivity tactical explosives
AssigneeBAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc.
InventorsThomas Brian Alexander, David Wilson Price
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Abstract
A high energy explosive having reduced shock sensitivity for tactical weapon platforms to increase the safety margins to the warfighter if the weapon became involved in an unplanned event on the battlefield. The high energy explosive having a reduced crystalline particle size below about 30 microns, preferably 10 microns, and coated with a thermoplastic elastomer, which is capable of being compressed into a warhead configuration and attached to a weapon. The high energy explosive having a greater than 25% reduction in shock sensitivity compared to the same crystalline energetic material without undergoing size reduction prior to being coated.
Claims16
A high energy insensitive explosive composition, the composition consisting of:
- a plurality of crystalline energetic particles coated with at least one elastomeric material, wherein at least 80% of the plurality of crystalline energetic particles comprises 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane having an average particle size of less than about 30 microns, wherein the at least one elastomeric material is present in an amount greater than 3 wt-% up to about 10 wt-% based upon the total weight of the high energy insensitive explosive composition such that the plurality of coated crystalline energetic particles have an average particle size greater than about 50 microns, a press density greater than 1.6 and less than about 1.9 and wherein the plurality of coated crystalline energetic particles have a shock sensitivity less than a comparable plurality of crystalline energetic particles consisting of 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane having an average particle size greater than 30 microns using the Naval Ordnance Laboratory Large Scale Gap Test,
- wherein the at least one elastomeric material comprises a polyester-based thermoplastic polyurethane, a polyether-based thermoplastic polyurethane, a polyacrylates, or a combination thereof.
A method of manufacturing a high energy insensitive explosive composition, the method consisting of:
- providing a plurality of crystalline energetic particles, wherein at least 80% of the plurality of crystalline energetic particles comprises 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane having an average particle size of less than about 30 microns;
- and
- coating the plurality of crystalline energetic particles with at least one elastomeric material to provide a plurality of coated crystalline energetic particles, wherein the at least one elastomeric material present in an amount greater than 3 wt-% up to about 10 wt-% based upon the total weight of the high energy insensitive explosive composition such that the plurality of coated crystalline energetic particles have an average particle size greater than about 50 microns;
- pressing and compacting the high energy insensitive explosive composition into a desired configuration for a munition, wherein the pressing and compacting of the explosive in the munition is done singularly instead of in multiple iterations;
- wherein the plurality of coated crystalline energetic particles have a shock sensitivity less than a comparable plurality of crystalline energetic particles consisting of 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane having an average particle size greater than 30 microns using the Naval Ordnance Laboratory Large Scale Gap Test.
An explosive device, the device consisting of:
- a compressed high energy insensitive explosive composition, the compressed high energy insensitive explosive composition comprising a plurality of crystalline energetic particles coated with at least one thermoplastic elastomer, wherein at least 80% of the plurality of crystalline energetic particles comprises 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane having an average particle size of less than about 30 microns, wherein the at least one elastomeric material is present in an amount greater than 3 wt-% up to about 10 wt-% based upon the total weight of the high energy insensitive explosive composition such that the plurality of coated crystalline energetic particles have an average particle size greater than about 50 microns, wherein the compressed high energy insensitive explosive composition has a shock sensitivity less than a comparable explosive composition consisting of a plurality of uncoated crystalline energetic particles of 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane having an average particle size greater than 30 microns using the Naval Ordnance Laboratory Large Scale Gap Test, and
- wherein the plurality of coated crystalline energetic particles have a press density greater than 1.6 and less than about 1.9.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.