Shaped, Flexible Fuel and Energetic System Therefrom

• US 20090101251A1
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vesta Research, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Vesta Research, Ltd.
• Inventors: Farrell, Declan, Subramanian, Shanthi, Limaye, Santosh Y.
• Granted Patent: US 7,942,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 149/20
• 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

Abstract

A shaped, flexible fuel and energetic system is presented. The shaped, flexible fuel comprises at least one polymeric binding material and porous silicon particles dispersed throughout the polymeric binding material. The porous silicon particles are prepared from a metallurgical grade silicon powder. The shaped, flexible fuel preferably includes shapes such as: an article, a film, a wire and a tape. The energetic system comprises the shaped, flexible fuel portion used alone or in combination with at least one oxidizer.

Claims

1. A shaped, flexible fuel comprising:

at least one polymeric binding material and porous silicon particles dispersed throughout the polymeric binding material, and wherein the porous silicon particles are prepared from a metallurgical grade silicon powder.

2. A shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 1, wherein the polymeric binding material is a thermoplastic polymer.

3. A shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 1, wherein the porous silicon particles have an initial particle size ranging from about 1 micron to about 4 microns wherein each porous silicon particle comprises a plurality of nanocrystals with pores disposed between the nanocrystals and throughout the entire porous silicon particle.

4. A shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 1, wherein each porous silicon particle comprises a solid core surrounded by a porous silicon layer having a thickness greater than about 0.5 microns.

5. A shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 1, wherein the polymeric binding material is poly(tetrafluoroethylene) powder added at an amount ranging from about 5% to about 70% by weight.

6. A shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 1, wherein the shape is selected from the group consisting of:

an article;

a film;

a wire; and

a tape.

7. A shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 6, wherein the shape is a tape.

8. A shaped, flexible energetic system according to claim 7, wherein the tape further comprises an adhesive.

9. A shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 6, wherein the shaped, flexible fuel is shaped by:

casting;

extrusion; and

pressing.

10. A shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 6, wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of:

a wire;

a cylinder;

a cone; and

a sphere.

11. A shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 10, wherein the article is a blast enhancer for a secondary explosive.

12. A shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 1, wherein the shaped, flexible fuel ignites at a temperature ranging from about 300°

C. to about 1000°

C.

13. A method for releasing energy into an environment, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing the shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 1; and

b) initiating a reaction in the shaped, flexible fuel wherein energy is released.

14. A method for releasing energy into an environment, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing the shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 1;

b) adding an oxidizer to the shaped, flexible fuel wherein the porous silicon particles are contacted by the oxidizer; and

c) initiating a reaction in the impregnated silicon particles wherein energy is released.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the oxidizer is in the form of a slurry and wherein solvent is allowed to evaporate prior to initiating a reaction in the impregnated silicon particles.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the reaction is initiated by a means selected from the group consisting of:

thermal, mechanical, optical, and electrical.

17. A shaped, flexible energetic system comprising:

the shaped, flexible fuel according to claim 1 and at least one oxidizer.

18. A shaped, flexible energetic system according to claim 17, wherein the oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of:

nitrates, perchlorates, chlorates, permanaganates, oxides, and oxidizing polymers.

19. A shaped, flexible energetic system according to claim 18, wherein the oxidizer further comprises a solvent.

20. A shaped, flexible energetic system according to claim 18, wherein the polymeric binding material is poly(tetrafluoroethylene) powder.

21. A shaped, flexible energetic system according to claim 17, wherein the shaped, flexible fuel is selected from the group consisting of:

an article;

a film;

a wire; and

a tape.

22. A shaped, flexible energetic system according to claim 21, wherein the shaped, flexible fuel portion is a tape.

23. A shaped, flexible energetic system according to claim 22, wherein the tape further comprises an adhesive.

24. A shaped, flexible energetic system according to claim 21, wherein the shaped, flexible fuel portion is shaped by:

casting;

extrusion; and

pressing.

25. A shaped, flexible energetic system according to claim 21, wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of:

a wire;

a cylinder;

a cone; and

a sphere.

26. A shaped, flexible energetic system according to claim 25, wherein the article is a blast enhancer for a secondary explosive.

27. A method for producing a shaped, flexible energetic system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a flexible fuel portion comprising a polymeric binding material and porous silicon particles dispersed throughout the polymeric binding material, and wherein the porous silicon particles are prepared from a metallurgical grade silicon powder and at least one oxidizer; and

b) forming a shaped article from the flexible fuel portion and the oxidizer.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the flexible fuel portion is shaped into the article before adding the oxidizer to the flexible fuel portion.

29. A method according to claim 27, wherein the flexible fuel portion and the oxidizer are combined prior to forming the shaped article.

30. A method according to claim 27, wherein the shaped article is formed by a method selected from the group consisting of:

casting, extrusion, and pressing.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the shaped article is formed by casting.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the shaped article is a tape.