Pyrophoric Nanoparticles for IR Decoys

Pyrotechnic and pyrophoric IR decoy flares protect military aircraft from IR seeking surface-to-air missiles by closely mimicking the electromagnetic signature of the aircraft in order to divert the missile from its target. Pyrophoric based decoys have advantages over pyrotechnic technology in that they are more covert, are less likely to start fires, and produce a spectral signature that is more effective against dual spectral seeking MANPADs. Here we investigate the use of pyrophoric nanoparticles in IR decoy devices where control over the size, shape, surface, and aggregation state of the nanoparticles is optimized to increase the intensity and tune the spectral signature when exposed to air.