Innovative Nano-Graphitic Obscurant Aerosols

American Energy Technologies Co., a woman-owned small business concern of Illinois, will partner with Lockheed Martin MS2-Eagan, and with A.J. Drexel University, in order to develop and field an innovative manufacturing process for synthesis of highly conductive nanosized graphitic materials. A two-pronged approach towards making a desired graphitic particle architecture, which measures 20 nm x 5 micron, will be sought. Both methods will start off with a purified flake graphite, which will be air milled to 5 microns in the initial step. Flakes will then go via two different routes through a series of steps of intercalation, exfoliation and subsequent delamination until the desired thickness of particle is achieved. Resultant product will be compressed to 50% theoretical density, and then dispersed into obscurant clouds with high loading of discrete nanoparticles. Cloud"s IR attenuation will be assessed by FTIR. The objective of the effort is to develop new generation, low cost and environmentally benign obscurant materials, packaging and employment techniques, which would provide reduced toxicological footprint, while ensuring efficient simultaneous disguise in the visible and infrared regions of electromagnetic spectrum.