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The Effects of Pressure on the Laser Initiation of TiHx/KClO4 and Other Pyrotechnics

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/968982· OSTI ID:968982
 [1];  [1]
  1. Mound Plant (MOUND), Miamisburg, OH (United States)
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The ignition thresholds of TiHx/KCLO4, Mg/Teflon, and an A1-torch mix are measured as a function of gas pressure for ignition by 514.5 nm pulses from an argon ion laser. The TiHx/KCLO4 system in argon gas has three distinct pressure regimes. The thresholds are very high below about 0.3 MPa, decrease rapidly between 0.3 and 1.5 MPa, and decrease gradually and become constant between 1.5 and 7 MPa. Mg/Teflon and the A1-torch mix also have decreasing thresholds with increasing gas pressures and decreasing pellet densities. Ignition pulse lengths between 0.25 and 20 milliseconds at a spot diameter of 65 microns in the TiHx/KCLO4 system indicate that the thresholds are predominantly power, not energy, thresholds for pulses longer than one millisecond. The increase in threshold power below one millisecond is consistent with a calculated time to reach thermal equilibrium of 0.96 milliseconds. The effect of beam diameters between 40 and 175 microns on the TiHx/KCLO4 thresholds is consistent with ignitions occurring at approximately the same temperature at the center of the beam. TiHx/KCLO4 and Zr/KCLO4/Viton/Graphite pyrotechnics are also ignited in sealed devices through sapphire windows. Ignition thresholds are comparable to those on open surfaces in pressures of 0.1 to 0.5 MPa which suggests that samples first decompose and ignite under a pocket of pressure. Ignition failures in TiHx/KCLO4 and in low density Zr/KCLO4/Viton/Graphite samples are attributed to increased porosity and/or gaps near the windows which allow reaction products to escape from the ignition zone.
Research Organization:
Mound Plant (MOUND), Miamisburg, OH (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00053
OSTI ID:
968982
Report Number(s):
MLM--3533(OP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY