Nanoscale cocrystalline explosives

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a CL-20/HMX cocrystalline explosive which is coated in a polymeric binder, so as to be useful as an explosive molding powder. The cocrystalline material having a desirable average crystal size of from about 300 nm to about 1000 nm, which crystals are intimately coated with a polymeric binder and are produced as granular agglomerates that are less than on average 5 microns in size, and which crystals are relatively easy and safe to handle, transport, store and use. The method involving spray drying a CL-20 and HMX solvent solution containing a polymeric binder to form an intermediary amorphous material—which intermediary is then heated to cocrystallize the CL-20/HMX into the desired size cocrystals and aggregates thereof—which are coated in said polymeric binder.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.