Radiation curable energetic material compositions and methods of use

Abstract

A radiation curable energetic composition that can be used, for example, to form pyrotechnic energetic components. The energetic composition includes a radiation curable polymer precursor and a pyrotechnic. The energetic composition may be dispersed in a liquid vehicle to facilitate deposition of the energetic composition using direct-write techniques.

1 . A fluid formulation for the deposition of an energetic composition, the fluid formulation comprising:
 a liquid vehicle; and   an energetic composition, the energetic composition comprising;
 a radiation curable polymer precursor in an amount of at least about 0.05 wt. % and not greater than about 10 wt. % of the energetic composition, and 
 a pyrotechnic in an amount of at least about 75 wt. % and not greater than about 99 wt. % of the energetic composition. 
   
     
     
         2 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic is substantially insoluble in the liquid vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the liquid vehicle comprises an alcohol. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the liquid vehicle comprises a compound selected from isopropanol, ethanol, butanol, methanol, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid composition recited in  claim 1 , wherein the radiation curable polymer is an ultraviolet curable polymer precursor. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the energetic composition comprises at least about 0.1 wt. % of the radiation curable polymer precursor. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the energetic composition comprises not greater than about 7.5 wt. % of the radiation curable polymer precursor. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the radiation curable polymer precursor comprises an acrylate monomer. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the radiation curable polymer precursor comprises a monomer selected from the group consisting of tetraethylene glycol diacrylate, tripropylene glycol diacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, and hexanediol diacrylate. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic comprises pyrotechnic particulate constituents. 
     
     
         16 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic comprises a fuel and an oxidizer. 
     
     
         23 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 22 , wherein the fuel comprises boron. 
     
     
         24 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 22 , wherein the oxidizer comprises potassium nitrate. 
     
     
         25 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 22 , wherein the pyrotechnic comprises thermite. 
     
     
         26 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic comprises an intermetallic pyrotechnic. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The fluid formulation recited in  claim 1 , wherein the fluid formulation further comprises a binder. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The fluid composition recited in  claim 1 , wherein the fluid composition comprises at least about 1 gram of the energetic composition per gram of the liquid vehicle. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The fluid composition recited in  claim 1 , wherein the fluid composition has a viscosity of not greater than about 70,000 centipoise. 
     
     
         38 . A method for the deposition of an energetic material component, comprising the steps of:
 first direct-write printing the fluid composition recited in  claim 1  onto a substrate to form a first energetic material precursor layer;   first exposing the first energetic material precursor layer to a sufficient quantity of radiation to polymerize the radiation curable polymer precursor and form a first intermediate component precursor layer;   first removing the liquid vehicle from the first intermediate component precursor layer to form at least a first portion of the energetic material component.   
     
     
         39 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . An energetic material component comprising an energetic composition, the energetic composition comprising:
 at least about 90 wt. % of a pyrotechnic; and   at least about 0.1 wt. % and not greater than about 5 wt. % of a cured UV polymer.   
     
     
         44 - 51 . (canceled)