Flash-ignitable energetic material

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes and activated carbon containing a metal such as palladium release a photoacoustic effect when subjected to a flash of light. A light ignitable, energetic composition is produced by mixing one of them with an energetic material such as black powder or ammonium perchlorate.

1 . A light ignitable energetic composition comprising an intimate mixture of (1) carbon nanotubes; (2) an energetic material selected from the group consisting of black powder, ammonium perchlorate, hexogen, octogen, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, trinitrotoluene nitroglycerine, nitrocellulose, ammonium nitrate, lead azide, lead styphnate, nitro plasticizers and picric acid; and (3) a metal selected from the group consisting of palladium, iron, nickel, cobalt, aluminium, copper, zinc, potassium, sodium and titanium.  
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture contains an energetic material and single walled carbon nanotubes.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the mixture contains 1 to 20 weight percent carbon nanotubes, the remainder being the energetic material.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the mixture contains 95 weight percent of the energetic material and 5 weight percent carbon nanotubes.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the mixture contains 95 weight percent black powder and 5 weight percent carbon nanotubes.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the energetic material is ammonium perchlorate.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the mixture contains 97 weight percent ammonium perchlorate and 3 weight percent carbon nanotubes.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the mixture contains 95 weight percent of ground ammonium perchlorate and 5 weight percent of activated carbon containing 97 weight percent carbon and 3 weight percent palladium.  
     
     
         9 . A method of preparing a light ignitable, energetic composition comprising intimately mixing (1) carbon nanotubes; (2) an energetic material selected from the group consisting of black powder, ammonium perchlorate, hexogen, octogen, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, trinitrotoluene nitroglycerine, nitrocellulose, ammonium nitrate, lead azide, lead styphnate, nitro plasticizers and picric acid; and (3) a metal selected from the group consisting of palladium, iron, nickel, cobalt, aluminium, copper, zinc, potassium, sodium and titanium.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein single walled carbon nanotubes are mixed with the energetic material.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the energetic material is ammonium perchlorate.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the energetic material is black powder.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein ground ammonium perchlorate is mixed with activated carbon containing palladium.