Ignition Composition with Low Moisture Susceptibility

The primary function of the ignition pellet in the Safe and Arm (S&A) for Airborne Expendable Infrared Countermeasures (AEIRCMs) is to quickly and reliably ignite the flare grain subsequent to ignition and ejection by the impulse cartridge. Therefore, it is critical that the pellet maintains consistent flame ignition sensitivity, burn rate and output energy throughout its service life.In this proposal, we propose to blend and press a variety of nanostructured fuel/Teflon/Viton compositions and precisely characterize the ignition sensitivity and burn rate of each in a system-relevant test environment using a novel ballistic ignition sensitivity tester. We will explore a variety of fuels and morphologies, focusing on materials and methods that have already shown promise in lab-based tests