Zac

Doo

renb

os1 ,

Wen

dy B

alas

Hum

mer

s2 ,P

aul R

edne

r2 , M

icha

el J

. Don

adio

2 ,an

d J

an P

uszy

nski

1,3

1 Inn

ovat

ive

Mat

eria

ls a

nd P

roce

sses

, LL

C R

apid

Cit

y, S

D 5

7702

2 AR

DE

C, P

icat

inny

Ars

enal

, NJ

0780

63 C

hem

ical

and

Bio

logi

cal E

ngin

eeri

ng D

epar

tmen

t So

uth

Dak

ota

Scho

ol o

f M

ines

and

Tec

hnol

ogy,

Rap

id C

ity,

SD

577

01

Aqu

eous

Bas

ed M

ixin

g of

Nan

othe

rmit

e C

ompo

site

s us

ing

Res

odyn

Lab

RA

M

RA

M E

nerg

etic

s C

onfe

renc

e Ju

ly 1

4th&

15th

, 201

1 B

utte

Mon

tana

OUTLINE

•B

ackg

roun

d on

In

nova

tive

Mat

eria

ls a

nd P

roce

sses

, L

LC

(IM

P)

•N

anot

herm

ite

proc

essi

ng c

halle

nges

•W

ater

-bas

ed m

ixin

g

•E

ffec

t of

pa

rtic

le

mor

phol

ogy

and

the

addi

tion

of

ga

s

gene

rati

ng a

ddit

ive

on m

ixin

g ch

arac

teri

stic

s

•A

dvan

tage

s/di

sadv

anta

ges

•C

oncl

usio

ns

Inno

vative�M

aterials�and

�Processes,�LLC

•IM

P i

s a

com

pany

foc

usin

g on

dev

elop

men

t of

new

tec

hnol

ogie

s in

the

are

a of

nano

mat

eria

ls, e

spec

ially

nan

oene

rget

ics.

•T

he c

ompa

ny w

as e

stab

lishe

d in

199

9, a

nd s

ince

tha

t ti

me

the

com

pany

has

wor

ked

on s

ever

al c

ontr

acts

fun

ded

by t

he:

•N

aval

Sur

face

War

fare

Cen

ter

at I

ndia

n H

ead,

MD

•A

RD

EC

at

Pic

atin

ny A

rsen

al, N

J.

•C

urre

nt P

roje

cts:

•L

ow-C

ost

Pro

cess

ing

of

Alu

min

um-B

ased

N

anot

herm

ites

(S

BIR

P

hase

II

Con

trac

t N

umbe

r: W

15Q

KN

-09-

C-0

143)

•D

evel

opm

ent

of

Nan

othe

rmit

e-B

ased

M

icro

thru

ster

s (S

BIR

P

hase

II

Subc

ontr

acto

r C

ontr

act

Num

ber:

W15

QK

N-0

9-C

-015

4)

•D

evel

opm

ent

and

Scal

e-up

of

Nan

othe

rmit

e C

ompo

site

for

Pro

pella

nt I

gnit

ion

(SB

IR P

hase

I –

Con

trac

t N

umbe

r: W

15Q

KN

-11-

C-0

044)

Energetic�Nan

othe

rmite�Re

search

Ene

rget

ic n

anot

herm

ite

rese

arch

sup

port

s an

eff

ort

to r

epla

ce c

ompo

unds

co

ntai

ning

hea

vy m

etal

s (l

ead)

in c

urre

nt m

ilita

ry a

pplic

atio

ns,

for

exam

ple:

•pe

rcus

sion

pri

mer

s (s

mal

l and

med

ium

cal

iber

),

•el

ectr

ic p

rim

ers

(ele

ctri

c m

atch

es, p

yrot

echn

ics)

,•

low

ene

rgy

init

iato

rs (

LE

I).

Seve

ral

met

asta

ble

ener

geti

c na

noco

mpo

site

s,

also

kn

own

as

met

asta

ble

inte

rsti

tial

co

mpo

site

s (M

IC)

or

nano

ther

mit

es

(sup

erth

erm

ites

) w

ere

iden

tifi

ed a

s th

e po

tent

ial

subs

titu

tes

for

curr

entl

y us

ed l

ead

styp

hnat

e or

le

ad t

hioc

yana

te.

Alu

min

um-b

ased

nan

othe

rmit

es (

alum

inum

-met

al o

xide

sys

tem

s)

are

of p

arti

cula

r in

tere

st in

ter

ms

of t

heir

ene

rget

ic c

hara

cter

isti

cs.

Exa

mpl

es:

Al-

MoO

3, A

l-W

O3,

Al-

CuO

, Al-

Fe 2

O3

and

Al-

Bi 2

O3,

Nan

othe

rmite�Processing�Cha

llenges�and

�Ch

aracteristics

Dis

tinc

t ch

arac

teri

stic

s of

nan

othe

rmit

es:

•N

anot

herm

ites

con

sist

of

at le

ast

two

reac

ting

com

pone

nt (

fuel

and

ox

idiz

er);

•C

ombu

stio

n re

acti

on r

ate

of n

anot

herm

ite

mix

ture

s st

rong

ly d

epen

ds

on r

eact

ant’

s pa

rtic

le s

ize

and

part

icle

inte

rmix

ing;

•E

nerg

y re

leas

e ca

n be

tun

ed b

y ch

oice

of

the

reac

tive

com

pone

nts.

Pro

cess

ing

chal

leng

es o

f na

noth

erm

ites

:

•P

roce

ssin

g in

org

anic

fla

mm

able

sol

vent

s (V

OC

con

cern

);

•M

ixin

g co

mpl

eten

ess

of n

anor

eact

ants

;

•St

rati

fica

tion

of

reac

tant

s du

e to

the

dif

fere

nce

in t

heir

den

siti

es;

•P

roce

ssin

g an

d lo

adin

g of

ult

rafi

ne e

xtre

mel

y E

SD s

ensi

tive

pow

ders

;•H

igh

reac

tivi

ty o

f na

nosi

ze a

lum

inum

and

mol

ybde

num

tri

oxid

e w

ith

moi

stur

e;•

Inhe

rent

bri

ttle

ness

of

cons

olid

ated

MIC

.

Water�Based

�Processing

1 U.S

. Pat

ent 7

,670

,446

: J

.A. P

uszy

nski

, J.J

. Sw

iatk

iew

icz

and

M.B

icha

y, “

Wet

Pro

cess

ing

and

Loa

ding

of

Per

cuss

ion

Pri

mer

s B

ased

on

Met

asta

ble

Nan

oene

rget

ic C

ompo

site

s”

•A

new

mix

ing

proc

ess1

of t

he n

anot

herm

ite

com

pone

nts

in a

w

ater

slu

rry

was

dev

elop

ed b

y th

e In

nova

tive

Mat

eria

ls a

nd

Pro

cess

es L

LC

.

•W

ater

-bas

ed m

ixin

g pr

oces

s is

inhe

rent

ly s

afe.

•W

ater

sol

uble

bin

ders

can

be

adde

d di

rect

ly t

o th

e re

acti

ve s

lurr

y to

in

crea

se m

echa

nica

l str

engt

h of

dri

ed n

anot

herm

ite

mat

eria

ls.

•F

orm

atio

n of

com

pact

gra

nule

s ha

s E

SD s

afet

y ad

vant

ages

.

•D

ense

slu

rry

can

be d

osed

dir

ectl

y to

the

app

licat

ion.

Star

ting

Mat

eria

ls T

este

d in

N

anot

herm

ite

Com

posi

tes

Fue

ls:

•80

nm a

lum

inum

(N

ovaC

entr

ix)

•Nan

osca

le A

lum

inum

Fla

ke (

IMP

)•

SSA

: 10

-28

m2 /

g•

%R

eact

ive

Alu

min

um:

84-7

6%

Oxi

des:

•Acc

umet

Bi 2

O3

•SS

A:

3-4

m2 /

g•C

lark

Sub

mic

ron

Bi 2

O3

•SS

A:

1 m

2 /g

Nan

osca

le A

lum

inum

Fla

ke

80 n

m A

lum

inum

Acc

umet

Bi 2

O3

Cla

rk S

ubm

icro

n B

i 2O

3

Fla

ke A

lum

inu

m P

roce

ss

Att

riti

on m

illin

g of

alu

min

um p

recu

rsor

to

ge

nera

te

nano

scal

e al

umin

um

flak

es

wit

h tu

nabl

e sp

ecif

ic s

urfa

ce a

rea

Nan

osca

leA

lum

inum

Fla

keSS

A:

27.9

m2 /

g%

RA

: 82

%

SEM

imag

e of

mill

ed f

lake

alu

min

um

Mix

ing

of N

anot

herm

ite

Mat

eria

ls

•W

ater

bas

ed m

ixin

g pr

oces

s de

velo

ped

by

Inno

vati

ve

Mat

eria

ls

and

Pro

cess

es,

LL

C

(Pat

ent

7,67

0,44

6).

•M

ixin

g of

na

noth

erm

ites

w

as

cond

ucte

d us

ing

Res

odyn

Lab

Ram

mix

er i

n a

1 st

ep

proc

ess.

•If

gas

gen

erat

ing

addi

tive

s ar

e be

ing

used

an

init

ial

disp

ersi

on s

tep

of t

he g

as g

ener

atin

g ad

diti

ve is

rec

omm

ende

d.

•M

ixin

g ti

mes

w

here

ab

le

to

be

shor

tene

d fr

om 3

0 m

inut

es t

o 1-

15 m

inut

es.

Bin

ary

Fue

l and

Oxi

dize

r M

ixtu

res

•T

he R

esod

yn L

abR

AM

al

low

s fo

r ea

sy d

ispe

rsio

n of

bin

ary

fuel

and

ox

idiz

er n

anop

arti

cles

ha

ving

dif

fere

nt p

arti

cle

mor

phol

ogie

s an

d si

zes.

Dyn

amic

pr

essu

re

prof

iles

gene

rate

d by

th

e co

mbu

stio

n of

50

m

g of

A

l-F

e 2O3

wit

hni

troc

ellu

lose

in a

n 8.

5 cc

pre

ssur

e ch

ambe

r.

Add

itio

n of

Gas

Gen

erat

ing

Age

nts

•T

he R

esod

yn L

abR

AM

allo

ws

for

easy

dis

pers

ion

of s

olid

fi

brou

s ga

s ge

nera

ting

ad

diti

ves

wit

hin

the

nano

ther

mit

e.

•T

he a

ddit

ion

of t

he g

as

gene

rati

ng a

ddit

ives

allo

ws

for

the

com

bust

ion

prop

erti

es o

f th

e na

noth

erm

ite

to b

e tu

ned.

Dyn

amic

pr

essu

re

prof

iles

gene

rate

d by

th

e co

mbu

stio

n of

30

0 m

g of

A

l-F

e 2O3

wit

hni

troc

ellu

lose

in a

n 8

cc p

ress

ure

cham

ber.

Adv

anta

ges/

Dis

adva

ntag

es T

o U

sing

R

eson

ant

Aco

usti

c M

ixin

gA

dvan

tage

s•S

ingl

e st

ep m

ixin

g pr

oces

s

•Sho

rt m

ixin

g ti

mes

•Mix

ing

effe

ctiv

enes

s

•Pos

sibi

lity

of t

hick

slu

rry

mix

ing

•Par

ticl

e m

orph

olog

y ha

s no

eff

ect

on

mix

ing

•Wet

ting

and

dis

pers

ion

of n

anop

owde

rs in

liq

uids

•Saf

ety

in m

ixin

g of

nan

othe

rmit

e m

ixtu

res

in w

ater

Dis

adva

ntag

es•B

atch

pro

cess

•Int

rodu

ctio

n of

air

into

slu

rry

wit

hout

an

appl

icat

ion

of a

vac

uum

set

up.

•Can

not

mix

und

er c

onti

nuou

s va

cuum

due

to

low

vis

cosi

ty o

f th

e m

ixtu

re

Vac

uum

Mix

ing

Ves

sel

•D

ue

to

low

vi

scos

ity

of

nano

ther

mit

e m

ixtu

res

and

the

high

L

abR

AM

m

ixin

g in

tens

itie

s ne

eded

to

ac

hiev

e go

od

disp

ersi

on

of

the

reac

tant

s,

a ne

w

mix

ing

vess

el w

as d

esig

ned.

Vac

uum

atta

chm

ent

and

valv

eN

anot

herm

ite

reac

tant

s an

d so

lven

t

Qui

ck c

onne

ct

flan

ge li

d

Thi

n w

alle

d st

ainl

ess

stee

l va

cuum

mix

ing

vess

el

Con

clus

ions

•R

eson

ant

acou

stic

mix

ing

can

be s

ucce

ssfu

lly u

sed

to m

ix b

inar

y fu

el a

nd

oxid

izer

nan

opar

ticl

es h

avin

g di

ffer

ent

part

icle

mor

phol

ogie

s.

•T

he R

esod

yn L

abR

AM

is s

uita

ble

for

mix

ing

of n

anot

herm

ite

com

posi

te

mat

eria

ls f

or a

wat

er-b

ased

con

tinu

ous

load

ing

of p

ercu

ssio

n an

d el

ectr

ic

prim

ers.

•So

lid g

as g

ener

atin

g ag

ents

can

be

easi

ly

adm

ixed

into

nan

othe

rmit

e m

ater

ials

usi

ng

reso

nant

aco

usti

c m

ixin

g.

Ack

now

ledg

emen

t

The

au

thor

s of

th

is

pres

enta

tion

w

ould

lik

e to

ac

know

ledg

e th

e fi

nanc

ial

supp

ort

from

A

RD

EC

, P

icat

inny

A

rsen

al,

NJ

unde

r th

e fo

llow

ing

cont

ract

s:

•“D

evel

opm

ent

of

Nan

othe

rmit

e-B

ased

M

icro

thru

ster

s”(C

ontr

act

#: W

15Q

KN

-09-

C-0

154)

•“D

evel

opm

ent

and

Scal

e-up

of

Nan

othe

rmit

e

Com

posi

tes

for

Pro

pella

nt I

gnit

ion”

(Con

trac

t #:

W15

QK

N-1

1-C

-004

4)

Con

tact

Inf

orm

atio

n:Z

ac D

oore

nbos

Pri

ncip

al R

&D

Eng

inee

rT

el:

(605

)484

-343

4In

nova

tive

Mat

eria

ls a

nd P

roce

sses

, LL

CE

mai

l: D

oore

nbos

@im

p-co

.com