The present invention provides an improved sorbent and corresponding device(s) and uses thereof for the capture and stabilization of volatile organic compounds (VOC) or semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) from a gaseous atmosphere. The sorbent is capable of rapid and high uptake of one or more compounds and provides quantitative release (recovery) of the compound(s) when exposed to elevated temperature and/or organic solvent. Uses of particular improved grades of mesoporous silica are disclosed.

The present application belongs to the field of compounds, and particularly relates to the perovskite-type compound ABX.sub.3. 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 application belongs to the field of compounds, and particularly relates to the perovskite-type compound ABX.sub.3. 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.

What is presented is a combustible pellet for creating heated gas. The combustible pellet is insertable into a cutting apparatus or a high power igniter or both. The combustible pellet is compacted to be resistant to mechanical damage and is resistant to unintentional ignition. The combustible pellet is ignitable without a loose powdered form of combustible material when the combustible pellet is in the cutting apparatus or the high power igniter.

What is presented is a combustible pellet for creating heated gas. The combustible pellet is insertable into a cutting apparatus or a high power igniter or both. The combustible pellet is compacted to be resistant to mechanical damage and is resistant to unintentional ignition. The combustible pellet is ignitable without a loose powdered form of combustible material when the combustible pellet is in the cutting apparatus or the high power igniter.

A method of manufacturing and optimizing energetic propellant grains includes generating an optimal surface area to mass fraction burned ratio profile for a predetermined solid structure including propellant grains; using the profile as a target function of a topological optimization process to generate a 3D form of a propellant grain; developing a negative of the 3D form of the propellant grain; mixing and densifying the negative with an energetic material in an uncured form in a mixer to create a structure including the energetic material and embedded negative; and solvating the negative from the structure, wherein the negative comprises a 3D propellant grain. The developing of the negative of the 3D form of the propellant grain may occur using a predetermined material in an additive manufacturing process. The negative may be soluble in the predetermined material, and the energetic material may be insoluble in the predetermined material.

A method of manufacturing and optimizing energetic propellant grains includes generating an optimal surface area to mass fraction burned ratio profile for a predetermined solid structure including propellant grains; using the profile as a target function of a topological optimization process to generate a 3D form of a propellant grain; developing a negative of the 3D form of the propellant grain; mixing and densifying the negative with an energetic material in an uncured form in a mixer to create a structure including the energetic material and embedded negative; and solvating the negative from the structure, wherein the negative comprises a 3D propellant grain. The developing of the negative of the 3D form of the propellant grain may occur using a predetermined material in an additive manufacturing process. The negative may be soluble in the predetermined material, and the energetic material may be insoluble in the predetermined material.

The present invention is directed to embodiments of reactive material (RM) and an associated chemical time delay that includes an RM, according to an embodiment of the present invention. One embodiment includes a delay material that is an RM patterned on a substrate using lithographic techniques. Another embodiment includes a delay material that is an RM deposited on a patterned substrate such as a mesh. The present invention also includes a chemical time delay that includes either embodiment of the delay material, or any variation on the delay material that would be known to or conceivable to one of skill in the art.

The present invention relates generally to an explosive composition comprising an aqueous emulsion of: an oxidizer component, a hydrocarbon fuel component containing emulsifier, and a bulking agent being a fuel-type waste material in a solid particulate form substantially lacking rough surfaces and sharp edges. Preferably the composition is of an ammonium nitrate based emulsion and a pelletised bulking agent. It also involves a method of providing an explosive composition to a blast site using a conventional mobile processing unit (MPU), being a truck having separate compartments adapted for holding fuel oil, dry ammonium nitrate prill, and ammonium nitrate based emulsion, where a compartment instead holds particulate waste material. It also concerns a method of blasting soft and wet ground, which comprises injecting into one or more blast holes in the soft and wet ground a sufficient quantity of the composition, and then setting off the composition.

The present invention relates generally to an explosive composition comprising an aqueous emulsion of: an oxidizer component, a hydrocarbon fuel component containing emulsifier, and a bulking agent being a fuel-type waste material in a solid particulate form substantially lacking rough surfaces and sharp edges. Preferably the composition is of an ammonium nitrate based emulsion and a pelletised bulking agent. It also involves a method of providing an explosive composition to a blast site using a conventional mobile processing unit (MPU), being a truck having separate compartments adapted for holding fuel oil, dry ammonium nitrate prill, and ammonium nitrate based emulsion, where a compartment instead holds particulate waste material. It also concerns a method of blasting soft and wet ground, which comprises injecting into one or more blast holes in the soft and wet ground a sufficient quantity of the composition, and then setting off the composition.