NON-TOXIC PERCUSSION PRIMERS AND METHODS OF PREPARING THE SAME

• US 20080245252A1
• Filed: 02/11/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Cartridge Company (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Braun, Patrick, Erickson, Jack, Blau, Reed, Liu, Lisa Spendlove, Norris, Neal, Sandstrom, Joel Lee, Johnston, Gene, Newell, Rachel Hendrika
• Granted Patent: US 8,192,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/204
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 23/006 Stabilisers (e.g. thermal stabilisers) processes C06B21/0091; foam stabilisers C06B23/002
• 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: C06C 7/00 Non-electric detonators; Blasting caps; Primers
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/10 Percussion caps

Abstract

A percussion primer composition including at least one explosive, at least fuel particle having a particle size of about 1500 nm or less, at least one oxidizer, optionally at least one sensitizer, optionally at least one buffer, and to methods of preparing the same.

Claims

1. A method of making a percussion primer, the method comprising:

a) providing at least one water wet explosive;

b) combining at least one fuel particle having a particle size of about 1500 nanometers or less with said at least one water wet explosive to form a first mixture; and

c) combining at least one oxidizer with said at least one water wet explosive or with said first mixture;

wherein the oxidizer and fuel are not combined prior to step b).

2. The method of claim 1, said at least one fuel particle having a particle size of about 1000 nanometers or less.

3. The method of claim 1, said at least one fuel particle having a particle size of about 650 nanometers or less.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising combining a plurality of fuel particles wherein said plurality of fuel particles have an average particle size of about 20 to about 500 nm.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one fuel particle is aluminum.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising combining a plurality of fuel particles, said fuel particles are aluminum, said fuel particles having an average particle size between about 100 nm and about 200 nm.

7. The method of claim 5, said at least one fuel particle comprising natural surface oxides thereon.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one fuel particle is titanium.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising combining a plurality of fuel particles, said fuel particles are titanium, said fuel particles having an average particle size of about 250 nm to about 350 nm.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said explosive comprises about 10 wt-% to about 50 wt-% water.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said explosive comprises about 20 wt-% to about 50 wt-% water.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said oxidizer is bismuth trioxide.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said bismuth trioxide has an average particle size of about 10 microns to about 200 microns.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said bismuth trioxide has an average particle size of about 100 microns to about 200 microns.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding at least one buffer before step b).

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said buffer comprises at least one organic acid or salt thereof, at least one inorganic acid or salt thereof and mixtures thereof.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said at least one buffer is phosphoric acid or salt thereof.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising citric acid or salt thereof.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one fuel particle is non-coated.

20. A primer composition comprising:

at least one explosive;

at least one fuel particle; and

a combination of at least one organic acid or salt thereof and at least one inorganic acid or salt thereof.

21. The primer composition of claim 20 further comprising at least one oxidizer.

22. The primer composition of claim 21 wherein said at least one oxidizer is bismuth trioxide.

23. The primer composition of claim 22 wherein said bismuth trioxide has an average particle size of about 10 microns to about 200 microns.

24. The primer composition of claim 20 wherein said at least one inorganic acid or salt thereof is phosphoric acid or phosphate.

25. The primer composition of claim 20 wherein said at least one organic acid or salt thereof is citric acid or citrate.

26. The primer composition of claim 20 wherein said at least one organic acid is citric acid and at least one inorganic acid is phosphoric acid.

27. The primer composition of claim 20 wherein said at least one explosive is nitrocellulose.

28. A percussion primer premixture, the premixture comprising:

at least one explosive;

at least one fuel particle having a particle size of about 1500 nanometers or less; and

water in an amount of about 10 wt-% to about 50 wt-% of the premixture;

wherein the premixture is free of an oxidizer.

29. The percussion primer premixture of claim 28 further comprising a buffer.

30. The percussion primer premixture of claim 29 wherein said buffer comprises an inorganic acid or salt thereof, an organic acid or salt thereof and mixtures thereof.

31. The percussion primer premixture of claim 28, said at least one fuel particle having a particle size of about 1000 nanometers or less.

32. The percussion primer premixture of claim 28, said at least one fuel particle having a particle size of about 650 nanometers or less.

33. The percussion primer premixture of claim 28 comprising a plurality of fuel particles having an average particle size of about 20 to about 500 nm.

34. The percussion primer premixture of claim 28 comprising a plurality of fuel particles having an average particle size of about 100 to about 200 nm.

35. The percussion primer premixture of claim 28 comprising a plurality of fuel particles having an average particle size of about 250 to about 350 nm.

36. A method of making a percussion primer, the method comprising:

a) providing at least one water wet explosive;

b) combining a plurality of fuel particles having a particle size range of about 0.1 nanometers to about 1500 nanometers with said at least one water wet-explosive to form a first mixture; and

c) combining at least one oxidizer with said at least one water wet explosive or with said first mixture.

37. The method of claim 36, said plurality of fuel particles having a particle size range of about 0.1 nanometers to about 1000 nanometers.

38. A method of making a percussion primer, the method comprising:

a) providing at least one wet explosive;

b) combining at least one fuel particle having a particle size of about 1500 nanometers or less with said at least one wet explosive to form a first mixture; and

c) combining at least one oxidizer having an average particle size of about 1 micron to about 200 microns with said at least one wet explosive or with said first mixture.

39. The method of claim 38, said at least one fuel particle having a particle size of about 1000 nanometers or less.

40. The method of claim 38, said at least one fuel particle having a particle size of about 650 nanometers or less.

41. The method of claim 38, said at least one oxidizer having an average particle size of about 10 microns to about 200 microns.

42. The method of claim 38, said at least one oxidizer having an average particle size of about 100 microns to about 200 microns.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein said at least one oxidizer is bismuth trioxide.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein said at least one fuel particle is aluminum.

45. A method of making a percussion primer, the method comprising:

a) providing at least one water wet explosive;

b) combining a plurality fuel particles having an average particle size of about 1500 nanometers or less with said at least one water wet explosive to form a first mixture; and

c) combining at least one oxidizer with said at least one water wet explosive or with said first mixture.

46. The method of claim 45, said plurality of fuel particles having an average particle size of about 1000 nanometers or less.

47. The method of claim 45 comprising combining a plurality of fuel particles having an average particle size of about 20 to about 500 nm.

48. The method of claim 45 wherein said at least one fuel particle is aluminum.

49. The method of claim 48 comprising combining a plurality of fuel particles having an average particle size of about 100 nm to about 200 nm.

50. The method of claim 49 said plurality of fuel particles comprising natural surface oxides thereon.

51. The method of claim 45 wherein said at least one fuel particle is titanium.

52. The method of claim 51 comprising combining a plurality of fuel particles having an average particle size of about 250 nm to about 350 nm.

53. The method of claim 45 wherein said percussion primer comprises about 10 wt-% to about 50 wt-% water after b) or c).

54. The method of claim 45 wherein said percussion primer comprises about 20 wt-% to about 50 wt-% water after b) or c).

55. The method of claim 45 wherein said oxidizer is bismuth trioxide.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein said bismuth trioxide has an average particle size of about 10 micron to about 200 microns.

57. The method of claim 45 wherein said bismuth trioxide has an average particle size of about 100 microns to about 200 microns.

58. The method of claim 45 further comprising at least one buffer.

59. The method of claim 58 wherein said at least one buffer is phosphoric acid or salt thereof, citric acid or salt thereof or mixtures thereof.

60. A primer composition comprising:

a relatively insensitive secondary explosive that is a member selected from the group consisting of nitrocellulose, RDX, HMX, CL-20, TNT, styphnic acid and mixtures thereof; and

a reducing agent that is a member selected from the group consisting of nano-size fuel particles, an electron-donating organic particle and mixtures thereof.

61. The primer composition of claim 60 wherein said reducing agent is a member selected from the group consisting of nano-size aluminum particles, nano-size titanium particles, melamine, butylated hydroxytoluene and mixtures thereof.

62. A slurry of particulate components in an aqueous media, the particulate components comprising at least three different particulate components, said three particulate components being:

i) particulate explosive;

ii) uncoated fuel particles having a particle size of about 1500 nanometers or less; and

iii) oxidizer particles.

63. The slurry of claim 62, said fuel particles having an average particle size of about 10 microns to about 200 microns.

64. The slurry of claim 62 further comprising a buffer.

65. The slurry of claim 64 wherein said buffer comprises at least one organic acid or salt thereof, at least one inorganic acid or salt thereof or mixtures thereof.

66. The slurry of claim 65 wherein said buffer comprises citric acid or salt thereof, phosphoric acid or salt thereof or mixtures thereof.

67. The slurry of claim 62 further comprising at least one binder.

68. The slurry or claim 62 further comprising a fuel particle having a particle size of about 80 to about 120 mesh.

69. The slurry of claim 62, said fuel particles having an average particle size of about 1000 nanometers or less.

70. The slurry of claim 62, said fuel particles having an average particle size of about 650 nanometers or less.

71. The slurry of claim 62 wherein said explosive is a member selected from the group consisting of nitrate esters, nitramines, nitroaromatics and mixtures thereof.

72. The slurry of claim 71 wherein said explosive is nitrocellulose.

73. The slurry of claim 62 wherein said fuel particles are aluminum, titanium or mixtures thereof.

74. The slurry of claim 62 wherein said oxidizer is bismuth trioxide.

75. The slurry of claim 62 wherein said oxidizer has an average particle size of about 10 microns to about 200 microns.

76. The slurry of claim 62 further comprising a sensitizer.

77. The slurry of claim 76 wherein said sensitizer is ground glass, tetracene or a mixture thereof.

78. A primer-containing ordnance assembly comprising:

a housing;

a secondary explosive disposed within the housing; and

a primary explosive disposed within the housing, the primary explosive comprising particulate explosive, uncoated fuel particles having a particle size of about 1500 nanometers or less and oxidizer particles.

79. A primer premixture comprising fuel particles having a particles size of about 1500 nanometers or less in a buffered aqueous media.

80. The primer premixture of claim 79 wherein said buffered aqueous media comprises at least one buffer selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids and salts thereof, organic acids and salts thereof and mixtures thereof.

81. The primer premixture of claim 79 wherein said buffered aqueous media comprises phosphoric acid or a salt thereof.

82. The primer premixture of claim 79 wherein said fuel particles are non-coated.

83. A percussion primer comprising nano-size fuel particles in an amount of about 1 to about 13 percent based on the dry weight of the percussion primer.

84. The percussion primer of claim 83, said percussion primer comprising said nano-size fuel particles in an amount of about 1 wt-% to about 12 wt-% based on the dry weight of the percussion primer.

85. The percussion primer of claim 83, said percussion primer comprising said nano-size fuel particles in an amount of about 1 wt-% to about 10 wt-% based on the dry weight of the percussion primer.

86. The percussion primer of claim 83, said percussion primer comprising said nano-size fuel particles in an amount of about 1 wt-% to about 8 wt-% based on the dry weight of the percussion primer.

87. The percussion primer of claim 83, said percussion primer comprising said nano-size fuel particles in an amount of about 4 wt-% to about 12 wt-% based on the dry weight of the percussion primer.

88. The percussion primer of claim 83, said percussion primer comprising said nano-size fuel particles in an amount of about 4 wt-% to about 8 wt-% based on the dry weight of the percussion primer.

89. The percussion primer of claim 83 wherein said nano-size fuel particles are selected from the group consisting of aluminum nano-size fuel particles and titanium nano-size fuel particles.