A single-step method for preparing nano-sized cocrystals of explosive material by preparing a coformer solution having an explosive precursor dissolved into a liquid medium and a second explosive precursor dispersed in the liquid medium. The viscosity and solubility of the coformer solution may be modified by addition of binders, plasticizers, surfactants and anti-foaming agents to the coformer solution. The coformer solution is then milled to mechanically form the cocrystals. Further milling produces the desired cocrystal sizes.

Disclosed herein are pyrophoric composite materials comprising nanoporous pyrophoric alpha iron nanoparticles dispersed in a ceramic matrix for use as aerial decoys. The composite material is prepared using tape casting methods to produce a thin film. The iron precursor in the film is then activated by reduction under a hydrogen atmosphere. The composite nanoporous pyrophoric alpha iron nanoparticles and ceramic material is an improvement over current pyrophoric decoys as it eliminates the use of harmful chemicals and the need for a substrate to support the composite.

A very high brisance metal powder explosive is created by including a multitude of hollow aluminum/aluminum oxide micro-particle shells deposited within a high explosive composition matrix. The interior of such micro-particle shells may contain air, nitrogen, other gases, combinations thereof, or possibly even be a vacuum. The invention might be used on warheads that are fragmentation warheads, explosively formed penetrators, air blast warheads, shaped charge jets of shaped charge warheads, or other high explosive-driven devices.

A method of manufacturing a CL-20/HMX cocrystalline explosive which is coated in a polymeric binder, so as to be useful as an explosive molding powder. The cocrystalline material having a desirable average crystal size of from about 300 nm to about 1000 nm, which crystals are intimately coated with a polymeric binder and are produced as granular agglomerates that are less than on average 5 microns in size, and which crystals are relatively easy and safe to handle, transport, store and use. The method involving spray drying a CL-20 and HMX solvent solution containing a polymeric binder to form an intermediary amorphous material—which intermediary is then heated to cocrystallize the CL-20/HMX into the desired size cocrystals and aggregates thereof—which are coated in said polymeric binder.

A method for converting cedarwood oil into high density fuels including, hydrogenating cedarwood oil in the presence of at least one hydrogenation catalyst to generate hydrogenated cedarwood oil, removing the hydrogenation catalyst from the hydrogenated cedarwood oil, purifying the hydrogenated cedarwood oil to produce a first high density fuel, isomerizing the first high density fuel in the presence of at least one acid catalyst catalyst to generate a hydrocarbon mixture including adamantanes, and distilling the adamantane mixture to produce a second alkyl-adamantane high density fuel.

A method of selectively increasing the sensitivity of an insensitive munition by inducing porosity or Joule heating in munitions assembly comprising a power source, an explosive apparatus and a fuze apparatus wherein the explosive apparatus contains a sensitized main explosive composition comprising a secondary explosive and a sensitizing agent. As a result, the otherwise insensitive munition is rendered sensitive to a propagating wave shock by approximately 10 to 25%. To this end, a voltage is applied across the main conductive explosive composition within the insensitive munition. Voltages above certain thresholds cause the decomposition of the explosive material or conductive binder, which leads to an increase in porosity, and therefore the shock sensitivity.

A method for making high density fuels including, heating a renewable plant oil, triglyceride, or fatty acid with at least one first acid catalyst to generate a first mixture of alkyladamantanes, increasing reaction time or adding at least one second catalysts to a first mixture of alkyladamantanes to produce a second alkyladamantane mixture, separating methyl, ethyl, propyl, and/or butyl adamantanes from a second alkyladamantane mixture to produce a third adamantane mixture to produce fuels.

The present disclosure generally pertains to green oxidizer compositions and method of synthesizing and using the same. Such green oxidizers are stable, may be used in conventional bipropellant thrusters, including, but not limited to LDACS applications, and offer several benefits over conventional oxidizers with respect to toxicity and/or corrosion. The present disclosure also relates to methods of synthesizing poly-nitrated oxetane, a green oxidizer, in an Argon-rich environment.

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.

A combustible solid propellant composition is disclosed that includes an oxidizer of the reaction product under vacuum of potassium periodate and isocyanate, a polymer binder, a plasticizer, and a fuel.