Porous silicon-based explosive

• US 20040244889A1
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Sailor, Michael J., Mikulec, Frederic V., Kirtland, Joseph D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,942,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 149/2
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 33/00 Compositions containing particulate metal, alloy, boron, silicon, selenium or tellurium with at least one oxygen supplying material which is either a metal oxide or a salt, organic or inorganic, capable of yielding a metal oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/00 Compositions or products which are defined by structure or arrangement of component of product explosive charges of particular form or shape F42B1/00, F42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C06C 9/00 Chemical contact igniters; Chemical lighters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/71 thermally excited

Abstract

An initiator explosive for detonating a second explosive that includes nanocrystalline silicon containing a plurality of pores and a solid state oxidant disposed within said pores.

Claims

1. An initiator explosive for detonating a second explosive comprising:

nanocrystalline silicon containing a plurality of pores; and

a solid state oxidant disposed within said pores.

2. The explosive of claim 1 wherein said solid-state oxidant comprises a nitrate salt.

4. The explosive of claim 1 wherein said solid-state oxidant comprises a perchlorate salt.

5. The explosive of claim 4 wherein said perchlorate salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium perchlorate, potassium perchlorate and lithium perchlorate.

6. The explosive of claim 1 wherein said solid-state oxidant comprises a fluoride salt.

7. The explosive of claim 6 wherein said fluoride salt is selected from the group consisting of potassium fluoride, potassium hexafluorophosphate, and sodium tetrafluoroborate.

8. The explosive of claim 1 wherein said solid state oxidant comprises a solid state oxidant selected from the group consisting of PETN, a metal azide, and TNT.

9. The explosive of claim 1 wherein said solid-state oxidant is baked into the pores of said porous nanocrystalline silicon.

10. The explosive of claim 1 wherein said nanocrystalline silicon comprises a nanowire.

11. The explosive of claim 1 wherein said nanocrystalline silicon comprises a thin film.

12. The explosive of claim 1 wherein said nanocrystalline silicon comprises a powder.

3. The explosive of claim 3 wherein said nitrate is selected from the group consisting of sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, magnesium nitrate, calcium nitrate, and gadolinium nitrate.

13. A silicon-based chemical sensor device for detecting the presence of a target analyte comprising:

a porous nanocrystalline substrate; and

gadolinium nitrate.

14. A method for detecting a target analyte comprising:

providing a porous nanocrystalline substrate;

selecting an oxidant;

combining the oxidant with the porous nanocrystalline substrate;

absorbing a predetermined amount of the target analyte on the porous nanocrystalline substrate;

igniting the porous nanocrystalline substrate containing the target analyte and the oxidant; and

measuring an emission spectrum for the presence of the target analyte.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising providing a porous nanocrystalline substrate in the form of a thin film.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising selecting a solid-state oxidant.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising selecting the oxidant to be gadolinium nitrate.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising baking the oxidant with the nanocrystalline substrate so that the oxidant is baked into pores of the porous nanocrystalline substrate.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising absorbing from between approximately 1 and 10 micro liters.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising igniting by resistively heating a silicon filament.

21. The method of claim 14 further comprising photographing the emission spectra.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising subjecting the photograph to spectrometry analysis.

23. The method of claim 14 further comprising absorbing a predetermined amount of a solution containing the target analyte on the porous nanocrystalline substrate.

24. The method of claim 14 further comprising absorbing a predetermined amount of ambient gas containing the target analyte on the porous nanocrystalline substrate.

25. The method of claim 14 further comprising absorbing a predetermined amount of ambient liquid containing the target analyte on the porous nanocrystalline substrate.

26. The method of claim 14 further comprising absorbing a predetermined amount of ambient particulate matter containing the target analyte on the porous nanocrystalline substrate.

27. A method for initiating an explosive reaction comprising:

creating a bridge wire composed of porous silicon;

coupling the bridge wire to an explosive; and

heating the bridge wire.

28. A propulsion system for a MEMS device comprising:

at least one silicon-based explosive unit that includes a solid state oxidant wherein said explosive unit is configured to be a cap.