Percussion primer composition and systems incorporating same

• US 8,460,486 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Cartridge Company (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Johnston, Harold E., Blau, Reed J., Lusk, Scott K., Warner, Kristin F.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCDONOUGH, JAMES E
• Application Number:
  US13/477,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20130126057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 149/46, 149/37, 149/38, 149/108.6, 149/109.2, 149/109.4
• US Class Current: 149/38
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 33/08 with a nitrated organic compound
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/18 comprising a coated component particles dispersed in a matrix C06B45/04; coated explosive charges F42B
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/24 the compound being an organic explosive or an organic thermic component
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/34 the compound being an organic explosive or an organic thermic component
• CPC Class Codes: C06C 7/00 Non-electric detonators; Blasting caps; Primers
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/0803 characterised by the combination of per se known chemical composition in the priming substance
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/10 Percussion caps

Abstract

A percussion primer composition that comprises an explosive and a sensitizer, the explosive being a moderately insensitive explosive having an impact sensitivity in the range from about 0.3 kp m to about 0.75 kp m. The moderately insensitive explosive may comprise CL-20, PETN, RDX, HMX, or mixtures thereof. The sensitizer may comprise aluminum, titanium, zirconium, magnesium, melamine, styrene, lithium aluminum hydride, or mixtures thereof. In some instances, the percussion primer composition may comprise the moderately insensitive explosive precipitated onto the sensitizer. The percussion primer composition may contain an oxidizer, which in certain situations comprises a conventional oxidizer or a bismuth compound. The bismuth compound is bismuth trioxide, bismuth subnitrate, bismuth tetroxide, bismuth sulfide, or mixtures thereof. A gun cartridge and other primer-containing ordnance assemblies employing the percussion primer composition are also disclosed. Methods of forming the sensitized explosive and the percussion primer are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A percussion primer composition comprising:

an explosive consisting essentially of at least one moderately insensitive explosive and optionally a low output sensitizing explosive, the at least one moderately insensitive explosive chosen from pentaerythritol tetranitrate (“

PETN”

), 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazatetracyclo [5.5.0.0.^5,90^3,11]-dodecane (“

CL-20”

), cyclo-1,3,5-trimethylene-2,4,6-trinitramine (“

RDX”

), cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (“

HMX”

), and mixtures thereof;

a plurality of aluminum particles having an average particle size of about 0.1 microns to about 5 microns; and

an oxidizer;

wherein the primer composition is essentially devoid of other explosives except for the optional low output sensitizing explosive.

2. The percussion primer composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one moderately insensitive explosive is precipitated onto the plurality of aluminum particles.

3. The percussion primer composition of claim 1, wherein the oxidizer is chosen from a bismuth compound, a salt of a nitrate, a metal salt of a nitrate, a chlorate, a perchlorate, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal peroxide, a metal oxide hydrate, a metal oxide hydroxide, a metal hydrous oxide, a basic metal carbonate, a basic metal nitrate, or mixtures thereof.

4. The percussion primer composition of claim 3, wherein the oxidizer is chosen from bismuth trioxide (Bi₂O₃), bismuth subnitrate (BiONO₃), bismuth tetroxide (Bi₂O₄), bismuth sulfide (B₂S₃), barium nitrate (Ba(NO₃)₂), cesium nitrate (CsNO₃), potassium nitrate (KNO₃), ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate (NH₄NO₃), potassium perchlorate (KClO₄), ammonium perchlorate (NH₄ClO₄), copper oxide (CuO), cobalt(II) oxide (CO₂O₃), cobalt(II,III) oxide (CO₃O₄), cobalt ferrite (COFe₂O₄), iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃), Molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃), bismuth molybdate (Bi₂MoO₆), or mixtures thereof.

5. The percussion primer composition of claim 1, further comprising a melt binder having a melting point of less than about 120°

C.

6. The percussion primer composition of claim 1, further comprising the low output sensitizing explosive, the low output sensitizing explosive comprising tetracene.

7. The percussion primer composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one moderately insensitive explosive and the plurality of aluminum particles comprise from about 35 wt-% to about 55 wt-% of the percussion primer.

8. The percussion primer composition of claim 1, wherein the oxidizer comprises from about 20 wt-% to about 75 wt-% of the percussion primer.

9. The percussion primer composition of claim 1 disposed within an ordnance chosen from a centerfire gun cartridge, a fimfire gun cartridge, and a primer-containing ordance assembly.

10. The percussion primer composition of claim 9 disposed within the ordnance, wherein the ordnance contains a secondary explosive that is capable of being initiated by the percussion primer composition.

11. A percussion primer composition comprising:

an explosive substantially free of heavy metals consisting essentially of at least one moderately insensitive explosive having an impact sensitivity in the range from about 0.3 kp m to about 0.75 kp m and optionally a low output sensitizing explosive having an impact sensitivity less than about 0.3 kp m;

a plurality of aluminum particles having an average particle size of about 0.1 microns to about 5 microns; and

an oxidizer;

wherein the percussion primer composition is essentially devoid of other explosives except for the optional low output sensitizing explosive.

12. The percussion primer composition of claim 11, wherein the at least one moderately insensitive explosive is precipitated onto the plurality of aluminum particles.

13. The percussion primer composition of claim 11, wherein the oxidizer is a bismuth compound.

14. The percussion primer composition of claim 13, wherein the bismuth compound is chosen from bismuth trioxide (Bi₂O₃), bismuth subnitrate (BiONO₃), bismuth tetroxide (Bi₂O₄), bismuth sulfide (B₂S₃), or mixtures thereof.

15. The percussion primer composition of claim 13, wherein the bismuth compound comprises from about 20 wt-% to about 75 wt-% of the percussion primer.

16. The percussion primer composition of claim 15, wherein the at least one moderately insensitive explosive and the plurality of aluminum particles comprise from about 35 wt-% to about 55 wt-% of the percussion primer.

17. The percussion primer composition of claim 11, wherein the oxidizer is chosen from a salt of a nitrate, a metal salt of a nitrate, a chlorate, a perchlorate, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal peroxide, a metal oxide hydrate, a metal oxide hydroxide, a metal hydrous oxide, a basic metal carbonate, a basic metal nitrate, or mixtures thereof.

18. The percussion primer composition of claim 17, wherein the oxidizer is chosen from barium nitrate (Ba(NO₃)₂), cesium nitrate (CsNO₃), potassium nitrate (KNO₃), ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate (NH₄NO₃), potassium perchlorate (KClO₄), ammonium perchlorate (NH₄ClO₄), copper oxide (CuO), cobalt(II) oxide (CO₂O₃), cobalt(II,III) oxide (CO₃O₄), cobalt ferrite (COFe₂O₄), iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃), Molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃), bismuth molybdate (Bi₂MoO₆), or mixtures thereof.

19. The percussion primer composition of claim 11, further comprising a melt binder having a melting point of less than about 120°

C.

20. The percussion primer composition of claim 11, further comprising the low output sensitizing explosive.

21. The percussion primer composition of claim 20, wherein the low output sensitizing explosive comprises tetracene.

22. The percussion primer composition of claim 11, wherein the at least one moderately insensitive explosive and the plurality of aluminum particles comprise from about 35 wt-% to about 55 wt-% of the percussion primer.

23. The percussion primer composition of claim 11, wherein the oxidizer comprises from about 20 wt-% to about 75 wt-% of the percussion primer.

24. The percussion primer composition of claim 11, further comprising an inert filler, wherein the inert filler is glass.

25. The percussion primer composition of claim 11 disposed within an ordnance chosen from a centerfire gun cartridge, a timbre gun cartridge, and a primer-containing ordance assembly.

26. The percussion primer composition of claim 25 disposed within the ordnance, wherein the ordnance contains a secondary explosive that is capable of being initiated by the percussion primer composition.

27. A percussion primer composition comprising:

an explosive substantially free of heavy metals consisting essentially of at least one moderately insensitive explosive having an impact sensitivity in the range from about 0.3 kp m to about 0.75 kp in and optionally a low output sensitizing explosive having an impact sens'"'"'t sit r less than about 0.3 kp m;

a sensitizer having an average particle size of about 0.1 microns to about 5 microns; and

an oxidizer;

wherein the percussion primer composition is essentially devoid of other explosives except for the optional low output sensitizing explosive.

28. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, wherein the at least cine moderately insensitive explosive is precipitated onto the sensitizer.

29. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, wherein the sensitizer has an average particle size of about 2 microns to about 5 microns.

30. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, wherein the sensitizer has an average particle size of about 0.5 microns to about 5 microns.

31. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, wherein the sensitizer comprises melamine, the melamine having an average particle size of about 2 microns to about 5 microns.

32. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, wherein the sensitizer comprises aluminum, the aluminum having an average particle size of about 0.5 microns to about 5 microns.

33. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, wherein the oxidizer is a bismuth compound.

34. The percussion primer composition of claim 33, wherein the bismuth compound is chosen from bismuth trioxide (Bi₂O₃), bismuth subnitrate (BiONO₃), bismuth tetroxide (Bi₂O₄), bismuth sulfide (B₂S₃), or mixtures thereof.

35. The percussion primer composition of claim 33, wherein the bismuth compound comprises from about 20 wt-% to about 75 wt-% of the percussion primer.

36. The percussion primer composition of claim 35, wherein the at least one moderately insensitive explosive and the sensitizer comprise from about 35 wt-% to about 55 wt-% of the percussion primer.

37. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, wherein the oxidizer is chosen from a salt of a nitrate, a metal salt of a nitrate, a chlorate, a perchlorate, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal peroxide, a metal oxide hydrate, a metal oxide hydroxide, a metal hydrous oxide, a basic metal carbonate, a basic metal nitrate, or mixtures thereof.

38. The percussion primer composition of claim 37, wherein the oxidizer is chosen from barium nitrate (Ba(NO₃)₂), cesium nitrate (CsNO₃), potassium nitrate (KNO₃), ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate (NH₄NO₃), potassium perchlorate (KClO₄), ammonium perchlorate (NH₄ClO₄), copper oxide (CuO), cobalt(II) oxide (CO₂O₃), cobalt(II,III) oxide (CO₃O₄), cobalt ferrite (COFe₂O₄), iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃), Molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃), bismuth molybdate (Bi₂MoO₆), or mixtures thereof.

39. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, further comprising a melt binder having a melting point of less than about 120°

C.

40. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, further comprising the low output sensitizing explosive.

41. The percussion primer composition of claim 40, wherein the low output sensitizing explosive comprises tetracene.

42. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, wherein the at least one moderately insensitive explosive and the sensitizer comprise from about 35 wt-% to about 55 wt-% of the percussion primer.

43. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, wherein the oxidizer comprises from about 20 wt-% to about 75 wt-% of the percussion primer.

44. The percussion primer composition of claim 27, further comprising an inert filler, wherein the inert filler is glass.