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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Process for preparing energetic materials

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1034304

Sol-gel chemistry is used for the preparation of energetic materials (explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics) with improved homogeneity, and/or which can be cast to near-net shape, and/or made into precision molding powders. The sol-gel method is a synthetic chemical process where reactive monomers are mixed into a solution, polymerization occurs leading to a highly cross-linked three dimensional solid network resulting in a gel. The energetic materials can be incorporated during the formation of the solution or during the gel stage of the process. The composition, pore, and primary particle sizes, gel time, surface areas, and density may be tailored and controlled by the solution chemistry. The gel is then dried using supercritical extraction to produce a highly porous low density aerogel or by controlled slow evaporation to produce a xerogel. Applying stress during the extraction phase can result in high density materials. Thus, the sol-gel method can be used for precision detonator explosive manufacturing as well as producing precision explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics, along with high power composite energetic materials.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
Assignee:
Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (Livermore, CA)
Patent Number(s):
8,075,716
Application Number:
US patent applicaiton 09/481,043
OSTI ID:
1034304
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (2)

Midsized Drug Firms Bulk Up With Mergers journal September 2000
The sol-gel process journal January 1990

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