Reactive Metal Composite Materials with Enhanced Ignition/Deflagration Efficiencies

The deflagration/combustion efficiencies of impact initiated metal powders such as aluminum and tungsten when used in various types of ordnance to produce deflagration and momentum properties are significantly lower than desired and theoretically possible. The objective of this phase I SBIR effort is to prepare reactive materials based on both aluminum and tungsten with reduced ignition temperatures and improved combustion rates. Mechanical alloying using two separate technologies will be employed. Both low-temperature, high energy ball milling and hot milling techniques will be used to produce binary metal reactive composite materials. The powders produced will be blended and consolidated to obtain samples with varying embedded heterogeneities expected to promote the formation of hot spots and help initiating the reactive metals. Rapid and complete deflagration of the reactive materials will be achieved by using appropriate metal additives, i.e., Mg and Zr. In addition, W-Al composites will be prepared. The range of additives will be expanded in the future. Impact initiation of the prepared materials will be tested using a proprietary gun test apparatus with appropriate detection diagnostics. Impact energy initiation thresholds and reaction intensity will be monitored to select and further develop the most promising compositions.