A combustible element includes regions of fuel material interspersed with regions of oxidizer material. The element may be made by additive manufacturing processes, such as three-dimensional printing, with the fuel material regions and the oxidizer material regions placed in appropriate locations in layer of the combustible element. For example, different extruders may be used to extrude and deposit portions of a fuel filament and an oxidizer filament at different locations in each layer of the combustible element. The combustible element may define a combustion chamber within the element, where combustion occurs when the combustible element is ignited. The fuel material and the oxidizer material may be selected, and their relative amounts may be controlled, such that desired relative amounts of fuel and oxidizer are present for combustion with desired characteristics, such as combustion rate.

A method and a device for drying an explosive, wherein the explosive contains moisture and microwave radiation causes the explosive to expel the moisture contained in the explosive. Provided is a drying chamber having magnetrons that exert the required microwave radiation on the explosive to be dried and thereby heat the explosive. During heating, the moisture in the explosive is then expelled.

The invention relates to sealable short-pathlength liquid transmission cells for Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy applications. In exemplary embodiments, a liquid transmission cell with transmissions sections uses horizontal tubing for inserting and removing fluids from the cell. Angling the tubing relative to a top face of the cell allows small amounts of entrapped air to rise out of the optical path without blocking spectroscopy measurements. The tubing is silver-soldered to the body of the transmission cell to make a leak-free connection.

A surfactant-assisted self-assembly method can be used to crystallize energetic materials with controlled morphology. Microparticles of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) formed by this method may have enhanced functional reproducibility due to their monodisperse nature, and decreased shock sensitivity due to their sub-2 m particle size.

A surfactant-assisted self-assembly method can be used to crystallize energetic materials with controlled morphology. Microparticles of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) formed by this method may have enhanced functional reproducibility due to their monodisperse nature, and decreased shock sensitivity due to their sub-2 m particle size.

A handheld tool configured to procure fuel is described. Embodiments of the fuel procurement tool include a handhold having a cutting mechanism located proximate one end of the handhold. Typically, the cutting mechanism can include at least one cutter link having a depth gauge, a top plate, and a gullet formed between the depth gauge and the top plate. The fuel procurement tool can be implemented to procure kindling from a piece of wood.

A gas generator is provided, the gas generator having a propellant cushion that prevents movement of propellant wafers, tablets, or grains by providing a bias thereagainst. Furthermore, the cushion may be formed from a polyurethane-based foam material and if desired, a known oxidizer combined within the foam. Channels inherent within the polyurethane-based foam enhance the combustion of the main gas generant. Alternatively, the substituted polyurethane polymer combined with an oxidizer may be formed as a monolithic grain that provides autoignition and gas generant function in lieu of a primary gas generant or in lieu of an igniter composition, for example.

The present invention relates to a method and device for emulsifying emulsion explosive: an oil phase and a part of a water phase having undergone split-flow enter a first stage coarse emulsion mixer; after mixing, the mixture together with a part of the water phase having undergone second stage split-flow enters a second stage coarse emulsion mixer; the obtained mixture together with a part of the water phase having undergone third stage split-flow enters a third stage coarse emulsion mixer for mixing; forming a coarse emulsion matrix after multiple stages of mixing, and finally completing emulsification after mixing in a multi-stage fine emulsion mixer. The method and device mix the water phase with the oil phase multiple times according to a desired ratio, thus greatly reducing the stored explosive, with no mechanical stirring or shearing, with no heat accumulation, and with low pressure, without requiring matrix pumping, thus enhancing safety.

An in-situ process for synthesizing highly pyrophoric foam materials using metal and carbon precursors wherein the precursors serve as foaming and activating agents to disperse and lock nano-sized metal particles within a rigid porous carbon matrix. The resulting carbon matrix is also pyrophoric.

The invention relates to a cast explosive composition, particularly to a pre-cure castable explosive composition comprising an explosive material, a polymerisable binder, a microencapsulated cross linking reagent, said microencapsulated cross linking reagent, comprising a cross linking agent encapsulated in a microcapsule. Providing a process for formulating a homogenous crosslinked polymer bonded explosive composition comprising the steps of: i) forming an admixture of pre-cure castable explosive composition, said composition comprising an explosive material, a polymerisable binder, a microencapsulated cross linking reagent, said microencapsulated cross linking reagent, comprising a cross linking reagent encapsulated in a microcapsule; wherein the microcapsule, comprises at least one shell wall polymer, wherein the microcapsule's shell wall polymer comprises at least one resonant acoustic stimulus labile linkage, ii) applying resonant acoustic stimulus to the admixture, causing the microcapsule to rupture and release said cross linking reagent, to cause the cure process to start.