Energetic material composition

• US 20050189050A1
• Filed: 08/24/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Sheridan, Edward W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,414,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 149/15
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/14 a layer or zone containing an inorganic explosive or an inorganic explosive or an inorganic thermic component
• CPC Class Codes: C06C 15/00 Pyrophoric compositions; Flints chemical lighters C06C9/00; alloys in general C22C
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 3/00 Generation of smoke or mist (chemical part) compositions used as biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators A01N25/18

Abstract

An energetic material composition includes a reducing material and an oxide of phosphorus. The reducing material includes a reducing metal and, in an optional hydride form, auto disperses products of the reaction by the formation of a gaseous product. The composition can be included in a cavity of a warhead. A method of neutralizing a targeted species and a method of reducing structural integrity of civil engineering structures by reacting the composition are also provided.

Claims

1. An energetic material composition comprising:

a reducing material; and

an oxide of phosphorus.

2. The energetic material composition of claim 1, wherein the oxide of phosphorus includes a stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous.

3. The energetic material composition of claim 2, wherein the stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous is phosphorus pentoxide.

4. The energetic material composition of claim 1, wherein the oxide of phosphorus includes a non-stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous.

5. The energetic material composition of claim 1, wherein the reducing material is a reducing metal.

6. The energetic material composition of claim 5, wherein the reducing metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, B, Al, Ga, Ti, Zr, Zn, Cd, and alloys or mixtures thereof.

7. The energetic material composition of claim 5, wherein the reducing material is a hydride of the reducing metal.

8. The energetic material composition of claim 7, wherein the reducing metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, B, Al, Ga, Ti, Zr, Zn, Cd, and alloys or mixtures thereof.

9. The energetic material composition of claim 1, wherein the reducing material has a sufficiently high negative enthalpy in reaction with the oxide of phosphorus to produce a sufficient heat to neutralize a targeted agent.

10. The energetic material composition of claim 9, wherein the sufficiently high negative enthalpy in reaction with the oxide of phosphorus is from approximately 400 cal per mole of oxide of phosphorus to approximately 1300 cal per mole of oxide of phosphorus.

11. A warhead including the energetic material composition of claim 9.

12. The energetic material composition of claim 1, wherein the targeted agent is a biological or chemical species.

13. The energetic material composition of claim 1, wherein the reducing material and the oxide of phosphorus are a mixture.

14. The energetic material composition of claim 1, wherein the reducing material and the oxide of phosphorus are a layered structure, wherein a first layer is the reducing material and a second adjacent layer is the oxide of phosphorus.

15. The energetic material composition of claim 1, wherein the reducing material and the oxide of phosphorous are each in powder form and the powders of the reducing material and the oxide of phosphorus are layered with a compositional transition area therebetween.

16. A method of neutralizing a targeted species, the method comprising:

reacting a composition including a reducing material and an oxide of phosphorus to generate heat and to produce elemental phosphorus; and

at least one of exposing the targeted species to generated heat and exposing the targeted species to phosphoric acid formed from a product of reacting the reducing material and the oxide of phosphorus.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising dispersing the elemental phosphorus by a high explosive.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising dispersing the elemental phosphorus by a gaseous product of the reducing material formed by reacting the composition.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the reducing material is a hydride of a reducing metal.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the oxide of phosphorus includes a stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous is phosphorus pentoxide.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the oxide of phosphorus includes a non-stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the reducing material is a reducing metal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the reducing metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, B, Al, Ga, Ti, Zr, Zn, Cd, and alloys or mixtures thereof.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the reducing material is a hydride of the reducing metal.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the reducing metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, B, Al, Ga, Ti, Zr, Zn, Cd, and alloys or mixtures thereof.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the targeted species is a biological or chemical species.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein neutralizing the targeted species occurs before the targeted species can escape from a bunkered target.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the reducing material has a sufficiently high negative enthalpy in reaction with the oxide of phosphorus to produce a sufficient heat to neutralize the targeted agent.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the sufficiently high negative enthalpy in reaction with the oxide of phosphorus is from approximately 400 cal per mole of oxide of phosphorus to approximately 1300 cal per mole of oxide of phosphorus.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein sufficient heat produces a temperature of at least 500°

C. for a time period of at least 1 to 3 seconds.

32. A method to produce an overpressure to reduce a structural integrity of a civil engineering structure, the method comprising:

reacting a composition including a reducing material and an oxide of phosphorus to create a differential pressure; and

exposing the civil engineering structure to the differential pressure.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein reacting generates heat and produces elemental phosphorus, the elemental phosphorus dispersed by a high explosive

34. The method of claim 32, wherein reacting generates heat and elemental phosphorus, the elemental phosphorus dispersed by a gaseous product of the reducing material formed by reacting the reducing material and the oxide of phosphorus.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the reducing material is a hydride of a reducing metal.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the oxide of phosphorus includes a stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous is phosphorus pentoxide.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein the oxide of phosphorus includes a non-stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein the reducing material is a reducing metal.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the reducing metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, B, Al, Ga, Ti, Zr, Zn, Cd, and alloys or mixtures thereof.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the reducing material is a hydride of the reducing metal.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the reducing metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, B, Al, Ga, Ti, Zr, Zn, Cd, and alloys or mixtures thereof.

43. The method of claim 32, wherein the reducing material has a negative enthalpy in reaction with the oxide of phosphorus from approximately 400 cal per mole of oxide of phosphorus to approximately 1300 cal per mole of oxide of phosphorus.

44. The method of claim 32, wherein the civil engineering structure is a bunkered target.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein reduced structural integrity includes collapsing a wall, collapsing a roof, breaking a window, breaking a door or breaking a portion of one or more thereof.

46. A munition comprising:

a warhead having a cavity; and

a composition including a reducing material and an oxide of phosphorus, the composition arranged in the cavity.

47. The munition of claim 46, wherein the oxide of phosphorus includes a stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous.

48. The munition of claim 47, wherein the stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous is phosphorus pentoxide.

49. The munition of claim 46, wherein the oxide of phosphorus includes a non-stoichiometric oxide of phosphorous.

50. The munition of claim 46, wherein the reducing material is a reducing metal.

51. The munition of claim 50, wherein the reducing metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, B, Al, Ga, Ti, Zr, Zn, Cd, and alloys or mixtures thereof.

52. The energetic material composition of claim 50, wherein the reducing material is a hydride of the reducing metal.

53. The munition of claim 52, wherein the reducing metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, B, Al, Ga, Ti, Zr, Zn, Cd, and alloys or mixtures thereof.

54. The munition of claim 46, wherein the reducing material has a sufficiently high negative enthalpy in reaction with the oxide of phosphorus to produce a sufficient heat to neutralize a targeted agent.

55. The munition of claim 54, wherein the sufficiently high negative enthalpy in reaction with the oxide of phosphorus is from approximately 400 cal per mole of oxide of phosphorus to approximately 1300 cal per mole of oxide of phosphorus.

56. The munition of claim 46, wherein the targeted agent is a biological or chemical species.

57. The munition of claim 46, wherein the reducing material and the oxide of phosphorus are a mixture.

58. The munition of claim 46, wherein the reducing material and the oxide of phosphorus are a layered structure, wherein a first layer is the reducing material and a second adjacent layer is the oxide of phosphorus

59. The munition of claim 46, wherein the reducing material and the oxide of phosphorous are each in powder form and the powders of the reducing material and the oxide of phosphorus are layered with a compositional transition area therebetween.

60. The munition of claim 46, comprising a dispersing aid.

61. The munition of claim 60, wherein the dispersing aid is a gaseous product formed by a reaction of the composition.

62. The munition of claim 60, wherein the dispersing aid is a high explosive.

63. The munition of claim 62, wherein the high explosive is separated from the composition by a membrane.