Methods for making and using high explosive fills for very small volume applications

Abstract

High explosives suitable for filling very small volume loading holes in micro-electric initiators for micro-electro-mechanical mechanisms, used as safe and arm devices, are prepared from slurries of crystalline energetic materials including organic liquid and applied using various methods. These methods include swipe loading, pressure loading and syringe loading. The organic liquid serves as a volatile mobile phase in the slurry so as to partially dissolve the energetic material so that, upon evaporation of the mobile phase, the energetic material precipitates and adheres to the loading hole.

1 . A method for loading crystalline energetic material into a small volume loading hole of a fixture of an explosive device, said method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a slurry or paste containing the crystalline energetic material;   loading the slurry or paste containing the crystalline energetic material to the loading of the fixture of the explosive device wherein the crystalline energetic material comprises high explosive material and an organic liquid for the slurry or paste.   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of loading the slurry or paste comprises placing the slurry or paste on a blade member and wiping the blade member over the fixture so as to force the slurry or paste into the loading hole in the fixture. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of loading the slurry or paste comprises placing the paste or slurry in a contained space having an outlet orifice therein, and dispensing the paste or slurry through the orifice into the hole in the fixture. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the method employs a pipette for dispensing the paste or slurry. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the method employs a syringe for dispensing the paste and slurry and a plunger of the syringe is used to force the paste or slurry through the orifice. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the method employs a pump for dispensing the paste or slurry. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein said pump comprises a positive displacement pump. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein said pump comprises a peristaltic pump. 
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the organic liquid serves as a volatile mobile phase to the paste or slurry so as to partially dissolve the energetic material such that, upon evaporation of the at least one mobile phase, the dissolved energetic material precipitates and adheres to a portion of the fixture forming the loading hole. 
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 incorporating a polymeric binder into the slurry or paste so as to provide adherence between crystals of the polycrystalline energetic material and a portion of the fixture forming said loading hole.   
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the amount of binder ranges from between 0.01 and 10 wt. % of the energetic material. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the binder is dissolved in the slurry or paste. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the binder is incorporated into the slurry or paste as a latex suspension. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the binder is incorporated into the slurry or paste as an emulsion. 
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the organic liquid comprises a mixture of ethanol and ethyl acetate serving as the liquid component for the slurry. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the mixture of ethanol and ethyl acetate is 90:10 to 60:40 volume/volume percent. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising incorporating a polymeric binder into the slurry or paste to enhance the physical strength of the slurry or paste. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising incorporating a plasticizer binder into the slurry or paste to produce an increase in adhesive strength and flexibility. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a binder system is added to the slurry or paste which is selected from the group polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl A ester copolymers, polyacrylates, casein, polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl pyrrolidone copolymers, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, substituted polyvinyl pyrrolidone, ethylenevinyl alcohol/acetate terpolymers, polyurethanes, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers, and styrene-acrylic copolymers, epichlorohydrin-based polymers and oxetane-based polymers. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein said epichlorohydrin-based polymers include the energetic polymers GAP and polyGLYN. 
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the oxetane-based polymers include polyBAMO, polyAMMO, BAMO-AMMO copolymers, and polyNIMMO. 
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said high explosive material is selected from the group consisting of CL-20, HMX, RDX, TNAZ, PETN, HNS, and all crystalline polymorphs. 
   
   
       23 . A slurry of a secondary high explosive material including an organic liquid serving as a volatile mobile phase for delivering to a loading hole in a fixture for an explosive device, said slurry consisting of:
 the high explosive material which is selected from the group consisting of CL-20, HMX, RDX, TNAZ, PETN, HNS, and crystalline polymorphs;   the organic liquid volatile mobile phase which partially dissolves the high explosive material such that upon evaporation of the mobile phase the dissolved high explosive material precipitates wherein said organic liquid comprises a mixture of ethanol and ethyl acetate in substantially 90:10 to 60:40 volume/volume percent;   a polymeric binder dissolved into the slurry, wherein the binder comprises between 0.01 and 0.5 wt. % of the high explosives whereby, said 0.01 to 0.5 wt. % of polymeric binder provides adherence between the precipitated high explosive and said loading hole.   
   
   
       24 - 28 . (canceled) 
   
   
       29 . The slurry of  claim 23 , wherein said binder is incorporated into the slurry as a latex suspension. 
   
   
       30 . The slurry of  claim 23 , wherein said binder is incorporated into the slurry as an emulsion. 
   
   
       31 - 32 . (canceled) 
   
   
       33 . The slurry of  claim 23  further comprising a plasticizer to produce an increase in strength and flexibility. 
   
   
       34 . The slurry of  claim 23 , further comprising a binder system selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl A ester copolymers, polyacrylates, casein, polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl pyrrolidone copolymers, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, substituted polyvinyl pyrrolidone, ethylenevinyl alcohol/acetate terpolymers, polyurethanes, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers, and styrene-acrylic copolymers, epichlorohydrin-based polymers and oxetane-based polymers. 
   
   
       35 . The slurry of  claim 34 , wherein said epichlorohydrin-based polymers include the energetic polymers GAP and polyGLYN. 
   
   
       36 . The slurry of  claim 34 , wherein the oxetane-based polymers include polyBAMO, polyAMMO, BAMO-AMMO copolymers, and polyNIMMO.