Aluminized eutectic bonded insensitive high explosive

• US 5,411,615 A
• Filed: 10/04/1993
• Issued: 05/02/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Thiokol Corporation (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rector, Carl M., Sumrail, Theodore S., Reed, Joey M., Graham, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Peter A.
• Application Number:
  US08/131,139
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 149/47, 149/56, 149/76, 149/78, 149/108.2
• US Class Current: 149/47
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 21/005 By a process involving melting at least part of the ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 31/32 with a nitrated organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 33/14 at least one being an inorganic nitrogen-oxygen salt

Abstract

An insensitive high explosive is obtained by using a dicyandiamide (DCDA), ammonium nitrate (AN), guanidine nitrate (GN), ethylene diamine dinitrate (EDDN) eutectic melt binder in combination with ammonium perchlorate (AP) oxidizer, fine RDX (1 μm to 10 μm particle size), and aluminum metal as a fuel. The fine RDX particles improve performance, boosterability, and sensitivity. The inclusion of AP greatly improves air blast by adding oxygen to the reaction and insuring complete combustion of the ingredients. The aluminum extends the pressure pulse. The ratio of materials is formulated to obtain the lowest known processing temperature.

Claims

1. An insensitive high performance explosive composition comprising:

a eutectic melt comprising dicyandiamide (DCDA), ammonium nitrate (AN), guanidine nitrate (GN), ethylene diamine dinitrate (EDDN);

1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triaza-cyclohexane (RDX) having a particle size in the range from about 1 μ

m to about 10 μ

m;

ammonium perchlorate (AP); and

a reactive metal.

2. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the reactive metal is aluminum, magnesium, boron, titanium, zirconium, or mixtures thereof.

3. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the reactive metal is aluminum.

4. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, further comprising an AN phase stabilizing material.

5. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 4, wherein the AN phase stabilizing material is potassium nitrate (KN).

6. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 4, wherein the AN phase stabilizing material is zinc.

7. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the DCDA, AN, and GN forming the eutectic melt are present in the following weight ratio:

25% to 30% DCDA, 50% to 55% AN, and 15% to 20% GN.

8. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the DCDA, AN, GN, and EDDN forming the eutectic melt are present in the following weight ratio:

20% to 25% DCDA, 35% to 40% AN, 10% to 15% GN, and 25% to 30% EDDN.

9. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the ammonium perchlorate is present in the explosive composition in the range from about 10% to about 60%, by weight.

10. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the ammonium perchlorate is present in the explosive composition in the range from about 10% to about 30%, by weight.

11. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the reactive metal is present in the explosive composition in the range from about 10% to about 45%, by weight.

12. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the reactive metal is present in the explosive composition in the range from about 15% to about 25%, by weight.

13. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the reactive metal has a particle size in the range from 5 μ

m to about 50 μ

m.

14. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the reactive metal has a particle size in the range from 15 μ

m to about 20 μ

m.

15. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the RDX is present in the explosive composition in the range from about 10% to about 40%, by weight.

16. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the RDX is present in the explosive composition in the range from about 10% to about 20%.

17. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the eutectic melt represents from about 20% to about 50% of the explosive composition.

18. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the RDX particle size is in the range from about 1 μ

m to about 4 μ

m.

19. An insensitive high performance explosive composition comprising:

a eutectic melt comprising dicyandiamide (DCDA), ammonium nitrate (AN), guanidine nitrate (GN), ethylene diamine dinitrate (EDDN), wherein the DCDA, AN, GN, and EDDN forming the eutectic melt are present in the following weight ratio;

20% to 25% DCDA, 35% to 40% AN, 10% to 15% GN, and 25% to 30% EDDN, and wherein the eutectic melt represents from about 20% to about 50% of the explosive composition;

1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triaza-cyclohexane (RDX) having a particle size in the range from about 1 μ

m to about 10 μ

m;

ammonium perchlorate (AP) present in the explosive composition in the range from about 10% to about 60%, by weight; and

aluminum present in the explosive composition in the range from about 10% to about 45%, by weight.

20. An insensitive high performance explosive composition as defined in claim 19, wherein the RDX particle size is in the range from about 1 μ

m to about 4 μ

m.