Sulfur-free propellant compositions

• US 20040144457A1
• Filed: 01/28/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Barrett, G. Dean, Conkling, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,344,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 149/61
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 29/12 with carbon or sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 29/16 with a nitrated organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 31/10 with carbon or sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 31/14 the compound being an aromatic

Abstract

Sulfur free propellant compositions for use as a blackpowder substitute in firearms, munitions, and pyrotechnics to form combustion byproducts that are water soluble and are free of corrosive sulfur compounds. Formulations include an ignition aid of a gluconic acid salt or an alkali metal nitrobenzoate salt or a mixture of the two salts in combination with various known oxidizing and reducing agents and with various known propellant additives. The oxidizing and reducing agents may be selected from the group consisting of carbon, lactose, potassium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, sodium benzoate, and mixtures thereof. The propellant additives may be selected from the group consisting of binders, burning rate modifiers, flow agents, colorants, coating agents, moisture retardants and mixtures thereof.

Claims

1. A sulfur replacement composition for deflagrating gas generating formulations, said sulfur replacement composition comprising a gluconic acid salt.

2. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 1, said gluconic acid salt being selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate and potassium gluconate.

3. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 1, said gluconic acid comprising sodium D-gluconate.

4. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 1 further including a nitro aromatic acid salt.

5. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 4 said nitro aromatic acid salt comprising a nitrobenzoate salt.

6. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 5, said nitrobenzoate salt comprising sodium meta-nitrobenzoate.

7. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 1 comprising an alkali metal gluconic acid salt, sodium meta-nitrobenzoate, and mixtures thereof.

8. A sulfur replacement composition for deflagrating gas generating formulations, said sulfur replacement composition comprising a sodium nitrobenzoate salt.

9. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 8, said sodium nitrobenzoate salt comprising sodium meta-nitrobenzoate.

10. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 8 further including a gluconic acid salt.

11. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 10 said gluconic acid salt being selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate and potassium gluconate.

12. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 10 said gluconic acid salt comprising sodium D-gluconate.

13. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 8 comprising an alkali metal gluconic acid salt, sodium meta-nitrobenzoate, and mixtures thereof.

14. A propellant composition comprising a sulfur free deflagrating gas generating formulation, and a first ignition aid of a gluconic acid salt.

15. The propellant composition as in claim 14, said sulfur free deflagrating gas generating formulation including oxidizing and reducing agents selected from the group consisting of carbon, sugars, nitrate salts, perchlorate salts, benzoate salts, and mixtures thereof.

16. The propellant composition as in claim 15, said sulfur free deflagrating gas generating formulation including oxidizing and reducing agents selected from the group consisting of carbon, lactose, potassium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, sodium benzoate, and mixtures thereof.

17. The propellant composition as in claim 15, said sulfur free deflagrating gas generating formulation further including propellant additives selected from the group consisting of binders, burning rate modifiers, flow agents, colorants, coating agents, moisture retardants and mixtures thereof.

18. The propellant composition as in claim 17 wherein said binders comprise dextrin.

19. The propellant composition as in claim 17 wherein said burning rate modifiers comprise dicyanodiamide.

20. The propellant composition as in claim 17 wherein said flow agents comprise tricalcium phosphate.

21. The propellant composition as in claim 17 wherein said colorants comprise carbon black.

22. The propellant composition as in claim 17 wherein said coating agents comprise graphite.

23. The propellant composition as in claim 17 wherein said moisture retardants comprise a silicon compound.

24. The propellant composition as in claim 14, said gluconic acid salt being selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate and potassium gluconate.

25. The propellant composition as in claim 14, said gluconic acid salt comprising sodium D-gluconate.

26. The propellant composition as in claim 14 further including a second ignition aid of a nitro aromatic acid salt.

27. The propellant composition as in claim 26, said nitro aromatic acid salt comprising sodium meta-nitrobenzoate.

28. The propellant composition as in claim 14 wherein said gluconic acid salt is present in the range of 2 to 15 percent by weight.

29. The propellant composition as in claim 26, wherein said nitro aromatic acid salt is present in the range of 2 to 12 percent by weight.

30. A propellant composition comprising a sulfur free deflagrating gas generating formulation, and a first ignition aid of sodium nitrobenzoate salt.

31. The propellant composition as in claim 30, said sulfur free deflagrating gas generating formulation including oxidizing and reducing agents selected from the group consisting of carbon, sugars, nitrate salts, perchlorate salts, benzoate salts, and mixtures thereof.

32. The propellant composition as in claim 31, said sulfur free deflagrating gas generating formulation including oxidizing and reducing agents selected from the group consisting of carbon, lactose, potassium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, sodium benzoate, and mixtures thereof.

33. The propellant composition as in claim 31, said sulfur free deflagrating gas generating formulation further including propellant additives selected from the group consisting of binders, burning rate modifiers, flow agents, colorants, coating agents, moisture retardants and mixtures thereof.

34. The propellant composition as in claim 33 wherein said binders comprise dextrin.

35. The propellant composition as in claim 33 wherein said burning rate modifiers comprise dicyanodiamide.

36. The propellant composition as in claim 33 wherein said flow agents comprise tricalcium phosphate.

37. The propellant composition as in claim 33 wherein said colorants comprise carbon black.

38. The propellant composition as in claim 33 wherein said coating agents comprise graphite.

39. The propellant composition as in claim 33 wherein said moisture retardants comprise a silicon compound.

40. The propellant composition as in claim 30, said sodium nitrobenzoate salt comprising sodium meta-nitrobenzoate.

41. The propellant composition as in claim 30 further including a second ignition aid of gluconic acid salt.

42. The propellant composition as in claim 41, said gluconic acid salt being selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate and, potassium gluconate.

43. The sulfur replacement composition as in claim 41, said gluconic acid salt comprising sodium D-gluconate.

44. The propellant composition as in claim 41 wherein said gluconic acid salt is present in the range of 2 to 15 percent by weight.

45. The propellant composition as in claim 30, wherein said sodium nitrobenzoate salt is present in the range of 2 to 12 percent by weight.

46. A combustible charge which forms no corrosive sulfur-containing byproducts of combustion, said charge comprising:

a mixture of oxidizing and reducing agents free of sulfur-containing compounds;

a mixture of propellant additives free of sulfur-containing compounds; and

an ignition aid comprising a gluconic acid salt.

47. The combustible charge as in claim 46, said mixture of oxidizing and reducing agents free of sulfur-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of carbon, sugars, nitrate salts, perchlorate salts, benzoate salts, and mixtures thereof.

48. The combustible charge as in claim 46, said mixture of oxidizing and reducing agents free of sulfur-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of carbon, lactose, potassium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, sodium benzoate, and mixtures thereof.

49. The combustible charge as in claim 48, said carbon present in the range of 0 to 15 percent by weight.

50. The combustible charge as in claim 49, said carbon present in the range of 3 to 7 percent by weight.

51. The combustible charge as in claim 48, said lactose present in the range of 0 to 15 percent by weight.

52. The combustible charge as in claim 51, said lactose present in the range of 0 to 10 percent by weight.

53. The combustible charge as in claim 48, said potassium nitrate present in the range of 0 to 60 percent by weight.

54. The combustible charge as in claim 53, said potassium nitrate present in the range of 30 to 45 percent by weight.

55. The combustible charge as in claim 48, said potassium perchlorate present in the range of 0 to 70 percent by weight.

56. The combustible charge as in claim 55, said potassium perchlorate present in the range of 20 to 40 percent by weight.

57. The combustible charge as in claim 48, said sodium benzoate present in the range of 0 to 30 percent by weight.

58. The combustible charge as in claim 57, said sodium benzoate present in the range of 3 to 10 percent by weight.

59. The combustible charge as in claim 46, said mixture of propellant additives free of sulfur-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of binders, burning rate modifiers, flow agents, colorants, coating agents, moisture retardants and mixtures thereof.

60. The combustible charge as in claim 59 wherein said binders comprise dextrin.

61. The combustible charge as in claim 60, said dextrin present in the range of 0 to 10 percent by weight.

62. The combustible charge as in claim 61, said dextrin present in the range of 2 to 8 percent by weight.

63. The combustible charge as in claim 59 wherein said burning rate modifiers comprise dicyanodiamide.

64. The combustible charge as in claim 63, said dicyanodiamide present in the range of 0 to 10 percent by weight.

65. The combustible charge as in claim 64, said dicyanodiamide present in the range of 2 to 7 percent by weight.

66. The combustible charge as in claim 59 wherein said flow agents comprise tricalcium phosphate.

67. The combustible charge as in claim 59 wherein said colorants comprise carbon black.

68. The combustible charge as in claim 59 wherein said coating agents comprise graphite.

69. The combustible charge as in claim 59 wherein said moisture retardants comprise a silicon compound.

70. The combustible charge as in claim 46, said gluconic acid salt being selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate and potassium gluconate.

71. The combustible charge as in claim 46, said gluconic acid comprising sodium D-gluconate.

72. The combustible charge as in claim 70, said gluconic acid salt present in the range of 0 to 45 percent by weight.

73. The combustible charge as in claim 72, said gluconic acid salt present in the range of 2 to 15 percent by weight.

74. The combustible charge as in claim 46 further including a nitro aromatic acid salt.

75. The composition as in claim 74, said nitro aromatic acid salt comprising sodium meta-nitrobenzoate.

76. The combustible charge as in claim 74, said nitro aromatic acid salt present in the range of 0 to 40 percent by weight.

77. The combustible charge as in claim 76, said nitro aromatic acid salt present in the range of 2 to 12 percent by weight.

78. The combustible charge as in claim 48 comprising:

carbon present in the range of 0 to 15 percent by weight;

lactose present in the range of 0 to 15 percent by weight;

potassium nitrate present in the range of 0 to 60 percent by weight;

sodium benzoate present in the range of 0 to 30 percent by weight;

potassium perchlorate present in the range of 0 to 70 percent by weight; and

gluconic acid salt present in the range of 0 to 45 percent by weight.

79. The combustible charge as in claim 78 further including a nitro aromatic acid salt present in the range of 0 to 40 percent by weight.

80. The combustible charge as in claim 78 comprising:

carbon present in the range of 3 to 7 percent by weight;

potassium nitrate present in the range of 30 to 45 percent by weight;

sodium benzoate present in the range of 3 to 10 percent by weight;

potassium perchlorate present in the range of 20 to 40 percent by weight; and

gluconic acid salt present in the range of 2 to 15 percent by weight.

81. The combustible charge as in claim 80 further including a nitro aromatic acid salt present in the range of 2 to 12 percent by weight.

82. A combustible charge which forms no corrosive sulfur-containing byproducts of combustion, said charge comprising:

a mixture of oxidizing and reducing agents free of sulfur-containing compounds;

a mixture of propellant additives free of sulfur-containing compounds; and

an ignition aid comprising a sodium nitrobenzoate salt.

83. The combustible charge as in claim 82, said mixture of oxidizing and reducing agents free of sulfur-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of carbon, sugars, nitrate salts, perchlorate salts, benzoate salts, and mixtures thereof.

84. The combustible charge as in claim 82, said mixture of oxidizing and reducing agents free of sulfur-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of carbon, lactose, potassium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, sodium benzoate, and mixtures thereof.

85. The combustible charge as in claim 84, said carbon present in the range of 0 to 15 percent by weight.

86. The combustible charge as in claim 85, said carbon present in the range of 3 to 7 percent by weight.

87. The combustible charge as in claim 84, said lactose present in the range of 0 to 15 percent by weight.

88. The combustible charge as in claim 87, said lactose present in the range of 0 to 10 percent by weight.

89. The combustible charge as in claim 84, said potassium nitrate present in the range of 0 to 60 percent by weight.

90. The combustible charge as in claim 89, said potassium nitrate present in the range of 30 to 45 percent by weight.

91. The combustible charge as in claim 84, said potassium perchlorate present in the range of 0 to 70 percent by weight.

92. The combustible charge as in claim 91, said potassium perchlorate present in the range of 20 to 40 percent by weight.

93. The combustible charge as in claim 84, said sodium benzoate present in the range of 0 to 30 percent by weight.

94. The combustible charge as in claim 93, said sodium benzoate present in the range of 3 to 10 percent by weight.

95. The combustible charge as in claim 82, said mixture of propellant additives free of sulfur-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of binders, burning rate modifiers, flow agents, colorants, coating agents, moisture retardants and mixtures thereof.

96. The combustible charge as in claim 95 wherein said binders comprise dextrin.

97. The combustible charge as in claim 96, said dextrin present in the range of 0 to 10 percent by weight.

98. The combustible charge as in claim 97, said dextrin present in the range of 2 to 8 percent by weight.

99. The combustible charge as in claim 95 wherein said burning rate modifiers comprise dicyanodiamide.

100. The combustible charge as in claim 99, said dicyanodiamide present in the range of 0 to 10 percent by weight.

101. The combustible charge as in claim 100, said dicyanodiamide present in the range of 2 to 7 percent by weight.

102. The combustible charge as in claim 95 wherein said flow agents comprise tricalcium phosphate.

103. The combustible charge as in claim 95 wherein said colorants comprise carbon black.

104. The combustible charge as in claim 95 wherein said coating agents comprise graphite.

105. The combustible charge as in claim 95 wherein said moisture retardants comprise a silicon compound.

106. The combustible charge as in claim 82, said sodium nitrobenzoate salt comprising sodium meta-nitrobenzoate.

107. The combustible charge as in claim 106, said sodium meta-nitrobenzoate present in the range of 0 to 40 percent by weight.

108. The combustible charge as in claim 107, said sodium meta-nitrobenzoate present in the range of 2 to 12 percent by weight.

109. The combustible charge as in claim 82 further including a gluconic acid salt.

110. The combustible charge as in claim 109, said gluconic acid being selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate and potassium gluconate.

111. The composition as in claim 109, said gluconic acid comprising sodium D-gluconate.

112. The combustible charge as in claim 109, said gluconic acid salt present in the range of 0 to 45 percent by weight.

113. The combustible charge as in claim 112, said gluconic acid salt present in the range of 2 to 15 percent by weight.

114. The combustible charge as in claim 84 comprising:

carbon present in the range of 0 to 15 percent by weight;

lactose present in the range of 0 to 15 percent by weight;

potassium nitrate present in the range of 0 to 60 percent by weight;

sodium benzoate present in the range of 0 to 30 percent by weight;

potassium perchlorate present in the range of 0 to 70 percent by weight; and

sodium nitrobenzoate salt present in the range of 0 to 40 percent by weight.

115. The combustible charge as in claim 114 further including a gluconic acid salt present in the range of 0 to 45 percent by weight.

116. The combustible charge as in claim 114 comprising:

carbon present in the range of 3 to 7 percent by weight;

potassium nitrate present in the range of 30 to 45 percent by weight;

sodium benzoate present in the range of 3 to 10 percent by weight;

potassium perchlorate present in the range of 20 to 40 percent by weight; and

sodium nitrobenzoate salt present in the range of 2 to 12 percent by weight.

117. The combustible charge as in claim 116 further including a gluconic acid salt present in the range of 2 to 15 percent by weight.