Nanocomposite Polymer Binders with Reversible Crosslink Architectures

Many energetic material formulations rely on elastomeric polymer binders to achieve required safety, aging, and mechanical properties. These binder systems are commonly produced by cast-cure methods using HTPB and an isocyanate curative. To take advantage of emerging technologies in weapon design and manufacturing, innovative new binders are needed with tailorable cure/cross-link chemistry, improved chemical compatibility with new energetic ingredients, higher energy density, and additive manufacturing (AM) capability. Helicon will develop nanocomposite elastomer binders featuring novel curative and crosslinking architectures to meet these objectives. Helicon’s unique nanocomposite binders, produced using patented in situ synthesis technology, feature near-molecular level mixing between polymer molecules and metal fuels and reaction catalysts. Nanocomposite binders exhibit orders-of-magnitude higher interfacial area between reactive constituents, and the chemical activity of nanomaterials enables tailorable reactivity with polymer molecule functional groups. Helicon will exploit these favorable properties to produce nanocomposite binders for next-generation energetic formulations. Phase I will demonstrate feasibility by evaluating binders with these characteristics: AM compatibility using isocyanate-free, reversible curing system; improved adhesion to energetic constituents from high interfacial area between binder and solid particles; higher energy content/enhanced lethality due to intimacy of mixing and performance enhancement of nanomaterials; no sensitizing ingredients.