Energy dense explosives
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorJohn W. Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to EDE (Energy Dense Explosives), wherein particles of a reducing metal and a metal oxide are dispersed throughout a conventional high explosive. When the resulting EDE is detonated, the reducing metal and the metal oxide combine in an exothermic redox reaction at a speed on the order of a detonation speed of the conventional explosive. The resulting formulation has higher mass per unit volume and energy per unit volume densities than the conventional high explosive alone. Sizes of the reducing metal particles and metal oxide particles and proximities of the particles to each other within the conventional explosive can be adjusted to tailor blast characteristics of a munition, for example to result in a time-pressure curve having a desired shape and duration.
Claims25
A munitions payload comprising:
- a primary explosive;
- a metal oxide dispersed within the primary explosive;
- and
- a reducing metal dispersed within the primary explosive, for reacting with the metal oxide;
- wherein the payload does not contain abrasive components.
A munitions payload comprising:
- a primary explosive;
- a metal oxide dispersed within the primary explosive;
- and
- a reducing metal dispersed within the primary explosive, for reacting with the metal oxide;
- wherein the metal oxide and the reducing metal are non-uniformly dispersed within the primary explosive.
A munitions payload comprising:
- a primary explosive;
- a metal oxide dispersed within the primary explosive;
- and
- a reducing metal dispersed within the primary explosive, for reacting with the metal oxide;
- wherein a mechanical bond is formed between the reducing metal and the metal oxide using boric oxide.
A munitions payload comprising:
- a primary explosive;
- a metal oxide dispersed within the primary explosive;
- and
- a reducing metal dispersed within the primary explosive, for reacting with the metal oxide;
- wherein the reducing metal is adhered to the metal oxide using a vapor phase coating process.
A munitions payload comprising:
- a primary explosive;
- a metal oxide dispersed within the primary explosive;
- and
- a reducing metal dispersed within the primary explosive, for reacting with the metal oxide;
- wherein the metal oxide is coated with the reducing metal via electroless plating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.