Low temperature, extrudable, high density reactive materials

• US 6,962,634 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Truitt, Richard M., Nielson, Daniel B., Rasmussen, Nikki
• Primary Examiner(s): Felton, Aileen
• Application Number:
  US10/386,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20040020397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 149/19.3, 102/473, 102/476, 102/307, 102/306
• US Class Current: 149/19.3
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 27/00 Compositions containing a metal, boron, silicon, selenium or tellurium or mixtures, intercompounds or hydrides thereof, and hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 1/032 characterised by the material of the liner
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/32 the hull or case comprising a plurality of discrete bodies, e.g. steel balls, embedded therein or disposed around the explosive charge

Abstract

A reactive material for use as a reactive liner in penetrating (shape-charge) warheads and for use in reactive fragments in fragmenting warheads is disclosed. The reactive material comprises an oxidizing agent and a metal filler or metal/metal oxide filler. The oxidizing agent comprises a fluoropolymer having high fluorine content, a low melt temperature, and a high mechanical strength. Preferably, the fluoropolymer is a thermoplastic fluoropolymer, such as a polymer of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride. The metal filler comprises a high density, reactive metal. Preferably, the metal filler is hafnium or tantalum. The reactive material is safely processed at temperatures significantly below the thermal autoignition point of the reactive material.

Claims

1. A composition for a reactive material, comprising:

an oxidizing agent comprising a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinylether, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene, and a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene; and

at least one metal filler.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the fluoropolymer is present in the reactive material at approximately 15-90% by weight.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the fluoropolymer is present in the reactive material at approximately 25-75% by weight.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the oxidizing agent has a fluorine content of greater than approximately 45% by weight.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one metal filler comprises a metal having a density approximately equal to or greater than the density of magnesium.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one metal filler is present in the reactive material at approximately 10-85% by weight.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one metal filler is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, magnesium/aluminum alloys, iron, copper, zirconium, titanium, zinc, manganese, tin, boron, silicon, hafnium, tungsten, depleted uranium, and tantalum, and metal carbides, oxides, and nitrides thereof.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one metal filler is a metal/metal oxide thermite or a metal/metal intermetallic.

9. The composition of claim 1, wherein a processing temperature of the reactive material is substantially below a thermal autoignition temperature of the reactive material.

10. An article comprising a liner formed from a reactive material, the reactive material, comprising:

an oxidizing agent comprising a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinylether, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene, and a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene; and

at least one metal filler.

11. The article of claim 10, wherein the at least one metal filler comprises a metal having a density approximately equal to or greater than the density of magnesium.

12. The article of claim 10, wherein the at least one metal filler is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, magnesium/aluminum alloys, iron, copper, zirconium, titanium, zinc, manganese, tin, boron, silicon, hafnium, tungsten, depleted uranium, and tantalum, and metal carbides, oxides, and nitrides thereof.

13. The article of claim 10, wherein the at least one metal filler is a metal/metal oxide thermite or a metal/metal intermetallic.

14. The article of claim 10, wherein the at least one metal filler is present in the reactive material at approximately 10-85% by weight.

15. The article of claim 10, wherein a processing temperature of the reactive material is substantially below a thermal autoignition temperature of the reactive material.

16. The article of claim 10, wherein the fluoropolymer is present in the reactive material at approximately 15-90% by weight.

17. The ice of claim 10, wherein the fluoropolymer is present in the reactive material at approximately 25-75% by weight.

18. A method of processing a reactive material, comprising:

mixing at least one metal filler with an oxidizing agent to form a reactive material, the oxidizing agent comprising a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinylether, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene, and a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene; and

processing the reactive material at a temperature that does not exceed a thermal autoignition temperature of the reactive material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein mixing at least one metal filler with an oxidizing agent comprises mixing the at least one metal filler selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, magnesium/aluminum alloys, iron, copper, zirconium, titanium, zinc, manganese, tin, boron, silicon, hafnium, tungsten, depleted uranium, and tantalum, and metal carbides, oxides, and nitrides thereof, with the oxidizing agent.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein mixing at least one metal filler with an oxidizing agent comprises mixing at least one metal/metal oxide with the oxidizing agent.

21. A method of processing a reactive material, comprising:

mixing a metal filler with an oxidizing agent to form a reactive material, the oxidizing agent comprising a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinylether, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene, and a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene; and

processing the reactive material at a temperature substantially below a thermal autoignition point of the reactive material.

22. An artillery projectile comprising a liner formed from a reactive material, the reactive material comprising:

an oxidizing agent comprising a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinylether, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene, and a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene; and

at least one metal filler.

23. A warhead comprising fragments or a liner formed from a reactive material, the reactive material comprising:

an oxidizing agent comprising a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinylether, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene, and a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene; and

at least one metal filler.

24. A warhead for use in a projectile, comprising:

a case;

an explosive material;

an initiator; and

a liner or fragments, the liner or fragments formed from a reactive material comprising at least one metal filler and an oxidizing agent, wherein the oxidizing agent comprises a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinylether, a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene, and a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene.