Nontoxic and Non-incendiary Obscurant Compositions and Method of Using Same

Abstract

White smoke formulations comprising triazine-borate cage compounds or triazine-phosphate cage compounds obscurants and a sucrose-potassium chlorate pyrotechnic fuel-oxidizer system are disclosed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A composition to produce smoke upon combustion, comprising a triazine, wherein said triazine has obscurant characteristics. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein further comprising a second obscurant. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said triazine is selected from a group consisting of melamine, N-acylated melamine, N-arylated melamine, N-alkylated melamine, acetoguanamine, N-acylated acetoguanamine, N-arylated acetoguanamine, N-alkylated acetoguanamine, benzoguanamine, N-acylated benzoguanamine, N-arylated benzoguanamine, N-alkylated benzoguanamine, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said second obscurant is selected from a group consisting of triethanolamine borate, triethanolamine phosphate, pentaerythritol borate, pentaerythritol phosphate alcohol, pentaerythritol phosphate alcohol carboxylate, silicate esters, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said second obscurant is triethanolamine borate. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a propellant, wherein the propellant comprises an oxidizer and a fuel. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein said oxidizer is selected from a group consisting of alkali, alkaline earth chlorate, potassium chlorate, sodium chlorate, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said oxidizer is potassium chlorate. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein said fuel is one or more carbohydrates. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein said fuel is sucrose. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said smoke produced by combustion of the composition has a low peak combustion temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said low peak combustion temperature is lower than 350° C. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said smoke produced by combustion of the composition has a high obstruction property, wherein said high obscuration property is greater than 200% transmittance. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said smoke produced by combustion of the composition has a gradient burn rate characteristic, wherein the produced smoke lasts longer and denser. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein further comprising a burn rate retarder. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein said burn rate retarder is selected from the group consisting of oxamide, biuret, and derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 16 , where said burn rate retarder causes over about 40% reduction in burn rate. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein further comprising a burn rate accelerant. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein said burn rate accelerant is selected from the group consisting of manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ), cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4 ), iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), manganese chloride tetrahydrate (MnCl 2 -4H 2 O), cobalt chloride hexahydrate (CoCl 2 -6H 2 O), and iron chloride hexahydrate (FeCl 3 -6H2O). 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 19 , wherein said burn rate accelerant is MnO 2  and causes over about 20% increase in burn rate.