Development HMTD-Containing Porous Materials as Non-Detonable Training Aids for Canines

The current practice of training canines for explosives detection utilizing actual explosives requires qualified personnel that are trained to handle explosive materials making the training both manpower-intensive and costly. The expense is further exacerbated by the need to handle and dispose of the explosive material according to local, state, and federal explosives regulations. Finally, the nature of explosives creates a risk of injury to the canine and its handler. This is especially problematic for the highly sensitive peroxide-based improvised explosives such as hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD). These peroxides are unstable compounds that are sensitive to shock, friction, and heat. HMTD even reacts with most common metals in a process that can lead to detonation. Clearly, working with these explosives in pure form is extremely risky. To solve this problem the proposed research will utilize porous ceramic materials in which HMTD is housed in a fashion that will inhibit or prevent explosive hazards while ensuring the maintenance of a normal vapor pressure of HMTD without any confounding extraneous volatile materials that could interfere with canine training.