Gas-generating pyrotechnic solid objects, the composition of which, free of binder and of explosive ingredient, expressed as weight percentages, contains from 35 to 50%, advantageously from 40 to 50%, of guanidine nitrate, from 35 to 50% of basic copper nitrate, from 0.5 to 6% of at least one compound chosen from alumina and inorganic titanates, the melting point of which is above 2100 K, and from 5 to 18% of at least one inorganic oxalate, chosen from sodium oxalate, tin oxalate, strontium oxalate, iron oxalate, copper oxalate and mixtures thereof.

A non-detonable shaped charge capable of becoming detonable upon activation. The shaped charge may be utilized for use with a perforating gun in oilfield applications. In this regard, during transport and other handling in advance of reaching the application site, the charge may be non-detonable. However, upon an intentionally directed activation, such as through heating, the shaped charge may be detonable.

The invention relates generally to dual mode bipropellant chemical rocket propulsion systems to be used in aerospace applications for 1) orbit raising, orbit maneuvers and maintenance, attitude control and deorbiting of spacecraft, and/or 2) propellant settling, attitude and roll control of missiles, launchers and space planes. The present invention also relates to a dual mode chemical rocket engine for use in such systems. The engine uses low-hazardous storable liquid propellants and can be operated either in monopropellant mode or in bipropellant mode. The monopropellants used are a low-hazard liquid fuel-rich monopropellant, and a low-hazard liquid oxidizer-rich monopropellant, respectively.

The present application belongs to the field of energetic compounds, and particularly relates to the use of a perovskite-type compound ABX.sub.3 as an energetic material. As a finding of the present application, the structural characteristics of the perovskite type enables the type of compound to be highly stable, thus overcoming the unsafety of an explosive having poor stability in the prior art. Meanwhile, the structural characteristics of the compound, such as rich energetic ligands, as well as the alternately arranged oxidizing energetic anions and reducing organic cations in the space, endow the compound with excellent performance on instantaneously releasing energy at detonation. The resulting three-dimensional structure allows the compound to not only have an energetic material effect but also overcome shortcomings of some existing energetic materials.

The present invention is directed to composite particles that react with a small and adjustable input energy. The ignition threshold depends primarily upon reactant spacing and chemistry, not overall particle size. Combustion properties, such as burn duration and temperature, are controlled by adjusting particle size or reactant composition. The best performance is achieved by selecting reactants with strong intermetallic formation reaction and that combust in different phases (condensed vs gaseous). These particles are fabricated by various methods, including physical vapor deposition, or ball milling. The concept of purposefully decoupling ignition and combustion properties by fabricating particles where ignition is determined by reactant spacing and/or composition and combustion is determined by adjusting particle size and/or composition is described. Combinations of specific reactants, such as Al, Zr, Ti, Mo, Mg, B, Li, etc. exhibit dual-phase combustion, and/or enhance combustion through prevention of terminating species. Ternary additions are used to form gaseous species.

A method of characterizing the structure of a void sensitized liquid energetic material, which method comprises defining the material in terms distribution function, the distribution function representing the fraction of liquid energetic material that occurs at a given point within the void sensitized liquid energetic material.

A method of characterizing the structure of a void sensitized liquid energetic material, which method comprises defining the material in terms distribution function, the distribution function representing the fraction of liquid energetic material that occurs at a given point within the void sensitized liquid energetic material.

The invention relates generally to burn rate modifiers, plasticizers and propellants comprising a burn rate modifier and/or a plasticizer. The invention also relates to methods of producing a propellant comprising a burn rate modifier and/or a plasticizer as well as an ammunition cartridge comprising the propellant. The burn rate modifier and/or plasticiser comprises a compound of formula (1) (Formula (1)) and the propellant comprises a compound of formula 1 and an energetic material. ##STR00001##

A non-detonable shaped charge capable of becoming detonable upon activation. The shaped charge may be utilized for use with a perforating gun in oilfield applications. In this regard, during transport and other handling in advance of reaching the application site, the charge may be non-detonable. However, upon an intentionally directed activation, such as through heating, the shaped charge may be detonable.

A non-detonable shaped charge capable of becoming detonable upon activation. The shaped charge may be utilized for use with a perforating gun in oilfield applications. In this regard, during transport and other handling in advance of reaching the application site, the charge may be non-detonable. However, upon an intentionally directed activation, such as through heating, the shaped charge may be detonable.