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Title: Reactive conductors for increased efficiency of exploding foil initiators and other detonators

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1351796

Provided among other things are reactive energetic material systems used for conductors in detonators for increased efficiencies. According to an embodiment, a detonator may include: a conductor including at least two constituents including (i) an electrically conductive constituent, and (ii) an electrically non-conductive constituent, that when subjected to sufficient electrical energy, result in an exothermic reaction; and a flyer plate having a non-conductive surface in contact with said conductor. When the sufficient electrical energy is supplied to said conductor, rapid heating and vaporization of at least a portion of the conductor occurs so as to explosively drive at least a portion of the flyer plate away from said conductor. In an embodiment, a multilayer conductor may be formed of alternating layers of at least one electrically conductive layer, and at least one electrically non-conductive layer, that when subjected to sufficient electrical energy, result in an exothermic reaction.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army (Washington, DC)
Patent Number(s):
9,021,954
Application Number:
13/685,884
OSTI ID:
1351796
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2012 Nov 27
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (18)

Integral low-energy thermite igniter patent August 1984
Exploding foil detonator patent July 1986
Hydrogen loaded metal for bridge-foils for enhanced electric gun/slapper detonator operation patent January 1992
Semiconductor bridge explosive device patent June 1999
Exploding thin film bridge fracturing fragment detonator patent December 2001
Electro-explosive device with laminate bridge patent August 2005
Non-explosive two component initiator patent April 2008
Nano-laminate-based ignitors patent May 2011
Ignitable heterogeneous structures and methods for forming patent October 2012
Multilayered microcavities and actuators incorporating same patent August 2013
Method of Making Reactive Composite Materials and Resulting Products patent-application July 2009
Rapid initiation of reactions in Al/Ni multilayers with nanoscale layering journal February 2010
Effect of intermixing on self-propagating exothermic reactions in Al/Ni nanolaminate foils journal February 2000
Joining bulk metallic glass using reactive multilayer foils journal June 2003
Deposition and characterization of a self-propagating CuOx/Al thermite reaction in a multilayer foil geometry journal September 2003
Investigating the reaction path and growth kinetics in CuOx/Al multilayer foils journal September 2003
Process and fabrication of a lead zirconate titanate thin film pressure sensor journal January 2001
Effects of physical properties of components on reactive nanolayer joining journal June 2005

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