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Title: Limited-life cartridge primers

Abstract

A cartridge primer which utilizes an explosive that can be designed to become inactive in a predetermined period of time: a limited-life primer. The explosive or combustible material of the primer is an inorganic reactive multilayer (RML). The reaction products of the RML are sub-micron grains of non-corrosive inorganic compounds that would have no harmful effects on firearms or cartridge cases. Unlike use of primers containing lead components, primers utilizing RML's would not present a hazard to the environment. The sensitivity of an RML is determined by the physical structure and the stored interfacial energy. The sensitivity lowers with time due to a decrease in interfacial energy resulting from interdiffusion of the elemental layers. Time-dependent interdiffusion is predictable, thereby enabling the functional lifetime of an RML primer to be predetermined by the initial thickness and materials selection of the reacting layers.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Livermore, CA
  2. San Ramon, CA
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
871665
Patent Number(s):
US 5773748
Assignee:
Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
limited-life; cartridge; primers; primer; utilizes; explosive; designed; inactive; predetermined; period; time; combustible; material; inorganic; reactive; multilayer; rml; reaction; products; sub-micron; grains; non-corrosive; compounds; harmful; effects; firearms; unlike; containing; lead; components; utilizing; hazard; environment; sensitivity; determined; physical; structure; stored; interfacial; energy; lowers; due; decrease; resulting; interdiffusion; elemental; layers; time-dependent; predictable; enabling; functional; lifetime; initial; thickness; materials; selection; reacting; inorganic compounds; organic compound; organic compounds; reaction product; reaction products; combustible material; predetermined period; energy resulting; containing lead; harmful effects; reactive multilayer; cartridge primer; time due; /102/149/

Citation Formats

Makowiecki, Daniel M, and Rosen, Robert S. Limited-life cartridge primers. United States: N. p., 1998. Web.
Makowiecki, Daniel M, & Rosen, Robert S. Limited-life cartridge primers. United States.
Makowiecki, Daniel M, and Rosen, Robert S. 1998. "Limited-life cartridge primers". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/871665.
@article{osti_871665,
title = {Limited-life cartridge primers},
author = {Makowiecki, Daniel M and Rosen, Robert S},
abstractNote = {A cartridge primer which utilizes an explosive that can be designed to become inactive in a predetermined period of time: a limited-life primer. The explosive or combustible material of the primer is an inorganic reactive multilayer (RML). The reaction products of the RML are sub-micron grains of non-corrosive inorganic compounds that would have no harmful effects on firearms or cartridge cases. Unlike use of primers containing lead components, primers utilizing RML's would not present a hazard to the environment. The sensitivity of an RML is determined by the physical structure and the stored interfacial energy. The sensitivity lowers with time due to a decrease in interfacial energy resulting from interdiffusion of the elemental layers. Time-dependent interdiffusion is predictable, thereby enabling the functional lifetime of an RML primer to be predetermined by the initial thickness and materials selection of the reacting layers.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/871665}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998}
}