Methods of preparing nitrocelluse based propellants and propellants made therefrom
AssigneeOrbital ATK, Inc.
InventorsWilliam J. Worrell, Benjamin R. Vaughan, Jeffrey D. Archambault, Milca Fils-Aime
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Abstract
Methods of preparing propellant compositions for power loads and firearms that include providing pre-shaped particle sized starting material, shaped consistent with a desired final propellant product shape, and thereafter nitrating and stabilizing the pre-shaped starting material using boiling stabilization processes. The resulting nitrated propellants of the methods reliably exhibit complete stabilization, high nitrogen substitution, high shelf life and acceptable ballistic performance.
Claims13
A method of making a power load used in fastener tools for driving fasteners, the power load comprising a propellant contained within a cartridge case and a primer, wherein the propellant includes nitrocellulose particles having a final shape and size, the method comprising:
- providing an amount of the preshaped cellulose particles, the preshaped cellulose particles having a size of at least 50 microns and having a shape of the final shape;
- thereafter
- nitrating the cellulose particles sufficiently to produce the nitrocellulose particles having at least 12% nitrogen at a location;
- thereafter, at the location,
- stabilizing the nitrocellulose particles by a series of boiling regimens, wherein the stabilizing comprises the steps of:
- subjecting the nitrocellulose particles to an acid boil regimen comprising boiling the nitrocellulose particles in an acid boil solution at an elevated temperature of at least 115° C. for a period of no more than 30 hours, the acid boil solution comprising substantially water;
- thereafter
- subjecting the nitrocellulose particles to a first neutral boiling of the nitrocellulose particles in a first neutral solution for a period of time, the first neutral solution comprising substantially water;
- and thereafter
- subjecting the nitrocellulose particles to a first alkaline boiling of the nitrocellulose particles in a first alkaline solution for a period of time, the first alkaline solution comprising substantially water, wherein the combined periods of time of the first neutral boiling and the first alkaline boiling is less than 30 hours,
- whereby the nitrocellulose particles are completely stabilized and exhibit complete nitration and wherein the shape is maintained;
- and thereafter
- drying the nitrocellulose particles;
- and
- incorporating the nitrocellulose particles into an opening of the cartridge case and closing the opening.
A method of making a power load used in fastener tools for driving fasteners, the power load comprising a propellant contained within a cartridge case and a primer, wherein the propellant includes nitrocellulose particles having a final shape and size, the method comprising:
- providing an amount of the preshaped cellulose particles, the preshaped cellulose particles having a size of at least 50 microns and having a shape of the final shape;
- thereafter
- nitrating the cellulose particles sufficiently to produce the nitrocellulose particles having at least 12% nitrogen at a location;
- thereafter, at the location,
- stabilizing the nitrocellulose particles by a series of boiling regimens, wherein the stabilizing comprises the steps of:
- subjecting the nitrocellulose particles to an acid boil regimen comprising boiling the nitrocellulose particles in an acid boil solution for an amount of time, the acid boil solution comprising substantially water;
- thereafter
- subjecting the nitrocellulose particles to an organic solvent solution boil regimen, the organic solvent solution boil regimen comprising:
- a first organic solvent boiling of the nitrocellulose particles in a first organic solvent solution for a first solvent boil period of time, the first organic solvent solution comprising ethanol;
- and thereafter
- a second organic solvent boiling of the nitrocellulose particles in a second organic solvent solution for a second solvent boil period of time, the second organic solvent solution comprising ethanol;
- and
- subjecting the nitrocellulose particles to an alkaline boil regimen, the alkaline boil regimen comprising:
- a first alkaline boiling of the nitrocellulose particles in a first alkaline solution for a first alkaline boil period of time, the first alkaline solution comprising substantially water,
- whereby the nitrocellulose particles are completely stabilized and exhibit complete nitration and wherein the shape is maintained;
- and thereafter
- drying the nitrocellulose particles;
- combining the nitrocellulose particles with one or more propellant components included in the propellant;
- and
- incorporating the nitrocellulose particles into an opening of the cartridge case and closing the opening
- wherein the nitrocellulose particles form energetic particles of the propellant and the shapes of the cellulose particles are substantially maintained in the propellant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.