Energetic compositions including nitrate esters and articles including such energetic compositions
View Patent ↗Methods of forming energetic compositions include forming a premix comprising a nitrate ester, a polymer, and a stabilizer, and combining solids with the premix. Additional stabilizer may be added with the solids and may remain in a crystalline state. Some methods include dissolving a stabilizer in at least one of a plurality of nitrate esters. Energetic compositions include a continuous matrix and a stabilizer. The continuous matrix includes a nitrate ester and surrounds a solid energetic material. Some compositions include a first nitrate ester, a second nitrate ester having a decomposition rate lower than the first nitrate ester, and a stabilizer. An article includes a housing and an energetic composition in the housing.
1. An energetic composition, comprising:
a suspension comprising a continuous matrix comprising nitrocellulose, 2-nitrodiphenyl amine, polyethylene glycol, and N-methyl-4-nitroaniline, wherein the N-methyl-4-nitroaniline is dissolved in the continuous matrix;
a solid energetic material suspended in the continuous matrix; and
a crystalline stabilizer comprising crystalline N-methyl-4-nitroaniline suspended in the continuous matrix.
2. The energetic composition of claim 1 , further comprising a nitrate ester having a greater resistance to decomposition than the nitrocellulose.
3. The energetic composition of claim 1 , wherein the continuous matrix is in a liquid state.
4. The energetic composition of claim 1 , wherein the continuous matrix is in a solid state.
5. An energetic composition, comprising:
nitroglycerin, nitrocellulose, 2-nitrodiphenyl amine, polyethylene glycol, N-methyl-4-nitroaniline, ammonium perchlorate, HMX, and aluminum;
a nitrate ester selected from the group consisting of 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, ethylene glycol dinitrate, diethylene glycol dinitrate, diglycerol tetranitrate, 1,2-propanediol dinitrate, trimethylolethane trinitrate, butyl-nitratoethylnitramine, triethyleneglycol dinitrate, and poly(glycidyl nitrate); and
a stabilizer dissolved in each of the nitroglycerin and the nitrate ester.
6. The energetic composition of claim 5 , wherein a weight ratio of the nitroglycerin to the nitrate ester is from about 1.5 to about 2.5.
7. The energetic composition of claim 5 , further comprising an additional amount of the stabilizer as a crystalline solid, the crystalline solid substantially free of nitroglycerin and the nitrate ester.
8. The energetic composition of claim 5 , further comprising a solid energetic material suspended in the nitroglycerin and the nitrate ester.
9. An article, comprising:
a housing; and
an energetic composition in the housing, the energetic composition comprising:
a suspension comprising a continuous matrix comprising a nitrate ester;
a solid energetic material comprising HMX suspended in the continuous matrix;
a crystalline stabilizer suspended in the continuous matrix; and
a dissolved stabilizer in the continuous matrix, wherein the dissolved stabilizer comprises the same chemical composition as the crystalline stabilizer.
10. The article of claim 9 , wherein the energetic composition is selected from the group consisting of a propellant composition, a gas generator composition, a smokeless gun powder composition, a munitions composition, and an explosive composition.
11. The article of claim 9 , wherein the article comprises a rocket motor, a gas generating device, ordnance, or munitions.
12. The article of claim 9 , wherein the article comprises a rocket motor.
13. An article, comprising:
a housing; and
an energetic composition in the housing, the energetic composition comprising:
nitroglycerin, nitrocellulose, 2-nitrodiphenyl amine, polyethylene glycol, N-methyl-4-nitroaniline, ammonium perchlorate, HMX, and aluminum;
a nitrate ester selected from the group consisting of 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, ethylene glycol dinitrate, diethylene glycol dinitrate, diglycerol tetranitrate, 1,2-propanediol dinitrate, trimethylolethane trinitrate, butyl-nitratoethylnitramine, triethyleneglycol dinitrate, and poly(glycidyl nitrate);
a stabilizer dissolved in each of the nitroglycerin and the nitrate ester.
14. The article of claim 13 , wherein the energetic composition is selected from the group consisting of a propellant composition, a gas generator composition, a smokeless gun powder composition, a munitions composition, and an explosive composition.
15. The article of claim 13 , wherein the article comprises a rocket motor, a gas generating device, ordnance, or munitions.
16. The article of claim 13 , wherein the article comprises a rocket motor.
17. The energetic composition of claim 1 , wherein the sum of the N-methyl-4-nitroaniline in the suspension and the crystalline N-methyl-4-nitroaniline comprises at least about 1.0% by weight of the energetic composition.
18. An energetic composition, comprising:
a suspension comprising a continuous matrix comprising a nitrate ester;
a solid energetic material comprising HMX suspended in the continuous matrix;
a crystalline stabilizer suspended in the continuous matrix; and
a dissolved stabilizer in the continuous matrix, wherein the dissolved stabilizer comprises the same chemical composition as the crystalline stabilizer.
19. The energetic composition of claim 1 , wherein the energetic composition comprises ammonium perchlorate, HMX, and aluminum, suspended in the continuous matrix.
20. An energetic composition, comprising:
a continuous matrix comprising nitroglycerin, nitrocellulose, 2-nitrodiphenyl amine, polyethylene glycol, and N-methyl-4-nitroaniline, wherein the N-methyl-4-nitroaniline is dissolved in the polyethylene glycol; and
ammonium perchlorate, HMX, aluminum, and N-methyl-4-nitroaniline suspended in the continuous matrix;
wherein
the nitroglycerine comprises from about 10% to about 18% by weight of the energetic composition;
the nitrocellulose comprises from about 0.07% to about 0.18% by weight of the energetic composition;
the 2-nitrodiphenyl amine comprises from about 0.17% to about 0.22% by weight of the energetic composition;
the polyethylene glycol comprises about 6.2% by weight of the energetic composition;
the N-methyl-4-nitroaniline comprises at least about 1.0% of the energetic composition; and
the ammonium perchlorate, HMX, and aluminum together comprise at least about 75% by weight of the energetic composition.
21. The energetic composition of claim 20 , further comprising a second nitrate ester selected from the group consisting of 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, ethylene glycol dinitrate, diethylene glycol dinitrate, diglycerol tetranitrate, 1,2-propanediol dinitrate, trimethylolethane trinitrate, butyl-nitratoethyInitramine, triethyleneglycol dinitrate, and poly(glycidyl nitrate).
22. An energetic composition, comprising:
nitroglycerin; ammonium perchlorate, HMX, and aluminum;
a nitrate ester selected from the group consisting of 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, ethylene glycol dinitrate, diethylene glycol dinitrate, diglycerol tetranitrate, 1,2-propanediol dinitrate, trimethylolethane trinitrate, butyl-nitratoethyInitramine, triethyleneglycol dinitrate, and poly(glycidyl nitrate); and
a stabilizer dissolved in each of the nitroglycerin and the nitrate ester;
wherein the ammonium perchlorate, HMX, and aluminum together comprise at least about 75% by weight of the energetic composition.