Explosive molding powder slurry processing in a nonaqueous medium using a mixed solvent lacquer system

Abstract

A method of processing an explosive molding powder. The method comprises providing a nonaqueous slurry comprising at least one nitrate compound, an inert fluorocarbon medium, and, optionally, a water-reactive additive. The at least one nitrate compound comprises at least one nitramine, at least one nitrate ester, at least one nitrated aromatic, or mixtures thereof. A lacquer system comprising at least two organic solvents, at least one binder, and, optionally, at least one plasticizer is also provided. The organic solvents in the lacquer system may comprise at least one binder-soluble organic solvent and at least one binder-insoluble organic solvent. The nonaqueous slurry and the lacquer system are combined to form granules of the explosive molding powder. A lacquer system and solutions used in processing the explosive molding powder are also disclosed.

1 . A method of processing an explosive molding powder, comprising: 
 providing a nonaqueous slurry comprising at least one nitrate compound in an inert fluorocarbon medium;    providing a lacquer system comprising at least two organic solvents and at least one binder; and combining the lacquer system and the nonaqueous slurry to form granules of the explosive molding powder.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a nonaqueous slurry comprising at least one nitrate compound in an inert fluorocarbon medium comprises providing at least one nitrate compound selected from the group consisting of at least one nitramine, at least one nitrate ester, at least one nitrated aromatic, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a nonaqueous slurry comprising at least one nitrate compound in an inert fluorocarbon medium comprises providing a nitrate compound selected from the group consisting of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (“CL-20”), cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (“HMX”), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (“PETN”), hexanitrostilbene (“UNS”), 2,4,6-trinitro-1,3,5-benzenetriamine (“TATB”), cyclo-1,3,5-trimethylene-2,4,6-trinitramine (“RDX”), and mixtures thereof in the inert fluorocarbon medium.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a nonaqueous slurry comprising at least one nitrate compound in an inert fluorocarbon medium comprises providing at least one nitrate compound in an inert fluorocarbon medium selected from the group consisting of perfluoroheptane (C 7 F 16 ), perfluorooctane (C 8 F 18 ), perfluorotributylamine, perfluorocyclic ether, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a nonaqueous slurry comprising at least one nitrate compound in an inert fluorocarbon medium comprises providing at least one nitrate compound in 75% perfluorooctane and 25% perfluorocyclic ether.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a nonaqueous slurry comprising at least one nitrate compound in an inert fluorocarbon medium comprises providing an inert fluorocarbon medium having a boiling point ranging from approximately 60° C. to approximately 100° C.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a nonaqueous slurry comprising at least one nitrate compound in an inert fluorocarbon medium comprises suspending the at least one nitrate compound in the inert fluorocarbon medium.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a lacquer system comprising at least two organic solvents and at least one binder comprises providing a lacquer system comprising at least one binder-soluble organic solvent and at least one binder-insoluble organic solvent.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein providing a lacquer system comprising at least one binder-soluble organic solvent and at least one binder-insoluble organic solvent comprises providing from approximately 25% to approximately 75% of the at least one binder-soluble organic solvent and from approximately 25% to approximately 75% of the at least one binder-insoluble organic solvent.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a lacquer system comprising at least two organic solvents and at least one binder comprises providing a lacquer system that is immiscible in the inert fluorocarbon medium.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a lacquer system comprising at least two organic solvents and at least one binder comprises using ethyl acetate as at least one binder-soluble organic solvent and ethanol as at least one binder-insoluble organic solvent.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a lacquer system comprising at least two organic solvents and at least one binder comprises providing at least one binder selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate butyrate, a fluoroelastomer, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyisobutylene polymer, nylon, a thermoplastic polyester elastomer, and a polyether block amide.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein combining the lacquer system and the nonaqueous slurry to form granules of the explosive molding powder comprises agglomerating particles of the at least one nitrate compound.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein combining the lacquer system and the nonaqueous slurry to form granules of the explosive molding powder comprises coating particles of the at least one nitrate compound with the at least one binder.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a water-reactive additive in the nonaqueous slurry.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein providing a water-reactive additive in the nonaqueous slurry comprises adding aluminum, magnesium, or boron to the nonaqueous slurry.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing at least one plasticizer to the lacquer system.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein providing at least one plasticizer to the lacquer system comprises adding at least one plasticizer selected from the group consisting of bis-dinitropropyl acetal and bis-dinitropropyl formal (“BDNPA/F”), isodecyl pelargonate (“IDP”), dioctyl adipate (“DOA”), dioctyl sebecate (“DOS”), a glycidyl azide polymer (“GAP”), and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding at least one rinse solution to a combined lacquer system and the nonaqueous slurry.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein adding at least one rinse solution to the combined lacquer system and the nonaqueous slurry comprises adding a rinse solution comprising the at least one binder-soluble organic solvent and the at least one binder-insoluble organic solvent.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the at least two organic solvents and the inert fluorocarbon medium to form the granules of the explosive molding powder.  
     
     
         22 . A lacquer system for processing an explosive molding powder, comprising: 
 at least two organic solvents and at least one binder, wherein a first organic solvent of the at least two organic solvents is formulated to solubilize the at least one binder and a second organic solvent of the at least two organic solvents is formulated so that the at least one binder is insoluble therein.    
     
     
         23 . The lacquer system of  claim 22 , wherein the first organic solvent is present from approximately 25% to approximately 75% of a total volume of the lacquer system and the second organic solvent is present from approximately 25% to approximately 75% of the total volume of the lacquer system.  
     
     
         24 . The lacquer system of  claim 22 , wherein the first organic solvent is ethyl acetate and the second organic solvent is ethanol.  
     
     
         25 . The lacquer system of  claim 22 , wherein the first organic solvent is present at approximately 50% of a total volume of the lacquer system and the second organic solvent is present at approximately 50% of the total volume of the lacquer system.  
     
     
         26 . The lacquer system of  claim 22 , wherein the least one binder is selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate butyrate, a fluoroelastomer, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyisobutylene polymer, nylon, a thermoplastic polyester elastomer, and a polyether block amide.  
     
     
         27 . Solutions for processing an explosive molding powder, comprising: 
 a lacquer system comprising at least two organic solvents and at least one binder; and    a nonaqueous slurry comprising at least one nitrate compound in an inert fluorocarbon medium.    
     
     
         28 . The solutions of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one binder is soluble in a first organic solvent of the at least two organic solvents and is insoluble in a second organic solvent of the at least two organic solvents.  
     
     
         29 . The solutions of  claim 28 , wherein the first organic solvent is ethyl acetate and the second organic solvent is ethanol.  
     
     
         30 . The solutions of  claim 28 , wherein the lacquer system comprises from approximately 25% to approximately 75% of the first organic solvent and from approximately 25% to approximately 75% of the second organic solvent.  
     
     
         31 . The solutions of  claim 27 , wherein the lacquer system is irniscible in the inert fluorocarbon medium.  
     
     
         32 . The solutions of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one binder is selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate butyrate, a fluoroelastomer, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyisobutylene polymer, nylon, a thermoplastic polyester elastomer, and a polyether block amide.  
     
     
         33 . The solutions of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one nitrate compound is selected from the group consisting of at least one nitramine, at least one nitrate ester, at least one nitrated aromatic, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         34 . The solutions of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one nitrate compound is selected from the group consisting of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (“CL-20”), cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (“HMX”), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (“PETN”), hexanitrostilbene (“HNS”), 2,4,6-trinitro-1,3,5-benzenetriamine (“TATB”), cyclo-1,3,5-trimethylene-2,4,6-trinitramine (“RDX”), and mixtures thereof in the inert fluorocarbon medium.  
     
     
         35 . The solutions of  claim 27 , wherein the inert fluorocarbon medium is selected from the group consisting of perfluoroheptane (C 7 F 16 ), perfluorooctane (C 8 F 18 ), perfluorotributylamine, perfluorocyclic ether, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         36 . The solutions of  claim 27 , wherein the inert fluorocarbon medium comprises 75% perfluorooctane and 25% perfluorocyclic ether.  
     
     
         37 . The solutions of  claim 27 , wherein the inert fluorocarbon medium has a boiling point ranging from approximately 60° C. to approximately 100° C.  
     
     
         38 . The solutions of  claim 27 , further comprising a water-reactive additive in the nonaqueous slurry.  
     
     
         39 . The solutions of  claim 38 , wherein the water-reactive additive comprises aluminum, magnesium, or boron.  
     
     
         40 . The solutions of  claim 27 , further comprising at least one plasticizer in the lacquer system.  
     
     
         41 . The solutions of  claim 40 , wherein the at least one plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of bis-dinitropropyl acetal and bis-dinitropropyl formal (“BDNPA/F”), isodecyl pelargonate (“IDP”), dioctyl adipate (“DOA”), dioctyl sebecate (“DOS”), a glycidyl azide polymer (“GAP”), and mixtures thereof.