Composition for forming a hydrogen peroxide based emulsion explosive

Abstract

A composition for forming a hydrogen peroxide-based emulsion explosive which composition comprises; an oxidizer-phase comprising at least 15% by weight of hydrogen peroxide and at least 15% by weight of water, a fuel-phase comprising at least one oil type fuel, a liquid emulsifier and at least one finely divided colloidal non-sensitizing solid adsorbent, wherein the oxidizer-phase is discontinuously dispersed throughout the continuous fuel-phase. A method of preparing an emulsion type explosive composition is also disclosed.

1 . A composition for forming a hydrogen peroxide-based emulsion explosive which composition comprises;
 an oxidizer-phase comprising at least 15% by weight of hydrogen peroxide and at least 15% by weight of water,   a fuel-phase comprising at least one oil type fuel,   a liquid emulsifier,   at least one finely divided solid colloidal non-sensitizing adsorbent, wherein the oxidizer-phase is discontinuously dispersed throughout the continuous fuel-phase.   
     
     
         2 . A composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sensitizer, whereby the composition forms a sensitized emulsion explosive. 
     
     
         3 . A composition according to  claim 2 , wherein the sensitizer comprises enclosed gas bubbles or voids which are generated inside the explosive composition through a chemical reaction. 
     
     
         4 . A composition according to  claim 2  wherein the sensitizer comprises enclosed gas bubbles or voids which are mechanically added into the explosive composition. 
     
     
         5 . A composition according to  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the finely divided solid adsorbent may be wetted by both the oxidizer and the fuel phase. 
     
     
         6 . A composition according to  claim 1  wherein the particles of the finely divided solid adsorbent are smaller than 10 micrometres in average size. 
     
     
         7 . A composition according to  claim 1  wherein the finely divided solid adsorbent is included and dispersed in the continuous fuel-phase. 
     
     
         8 . A composition according to  claim 1  wherein the finely divided solid adsorbent comprises at least one solid selected from the group consisting of acrylic polymer powders, wheat, potato, rice or corn starch powders, organic gum powders, alginate cross linking powders, fumed silica powder, colloidal silica, silica powder, polymer zein powder, gluten powder, and clay particles. 
     
     
         9 . A composition according to  claim 1  wherein the oil type fuel comprises at least one oil selected from the group consisting of mineral oils, aromatic oils, bio-oils, synthetic fuel oils, diesel oils, lubrication oils, kerosene oils, naphtha oils, paraffin oils, chlorinated paraffin oils, benzene, toluene, polymeric oils, rapeseed oils, coconut oils and fish oils. 
     
     
         10 . A composition according to  claim 1  further comprising a density modifying additive fuel comprising at least one of aluminium powder, silica powder, sugars, glycerol, cellulose or alcohols. 
     
     
         11 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the emulsifier comprises at least one of Polyisobutylene succinic anhydride (PIBSA), PIBSA amine derivatives, PIB-lactone or its amino derivatives, Sorbitan monooleate (SMO), sorbitan sesquioleate, lecithin, alkoxylates, esters combinations, fatty amines, alkyloxazolines, alkenyloxazolines, imidazolines, alkyl-sulfonates, alkylarylsulfonates, alkylsulfosuccinates, alkylphosphates, alkenylphosphates orphosphate esters. 
     
     
         12 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition contains less than 1.5% nitrates by weight. 
     
     
         13 . A composition according to  claim 1  wherein the apparent viscosity of the unsensitized composition is greater than 35 000 centipoises [cP] at 25° C. 
     
     
         14 . A composition according to  claim 2  wherein the density of the sensitized explosive composition is between 0.4 to 1.25 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         15 . A method of preparing an emulsion type explosive composition, which method comprises;
 providing an oxidizer-phase comprising at least 15% by weight of hydrogen peroxide and at least 15% by weight of water,   providing a fuel-phase comprising at least one oil type,   providing at least one liquid emulsifier,   providing at least one finely divided solid colloidal non-sensitizing adsorbent,   forming an emulsion comprising the oxidizer-phase, the fuel-phase, the emulsifier and the solid absorbent, and   sensitizing the emulsion by adding gas filled compressible solid micro-balloons, and/or by generating gas bubbles by means of a gassing agent and/or by adding gas bubbles to the emulsion.