Technology to the Warfighter Quicker

More Than a Decade of Green Energetics R&D Research

More Than a Decade of Green Energetics R&D Research

Joint Services Environmental Management Conference

Columbus, OH

Robin NissanNAVAIR China Lake

William RuppertUS. Army RDECOM/ Hughes Assoc. INC

Joint Services Environmental Management Conference

Columbus, OH

Robin NissanNAVAIR China Lake

William RuppertUS. Army RDECOM/ Hughes Assoc. INC

• Past– What drove our decisions 10 years ago to

begin investing in green energetics?• Present

– Have those investments changed how we think about energetic materials and ordnance?

– Are we making progress?• Future

– What future directions will help us achieve significant improvements in the design and use of energetic materials?

OutlineOutline

• Technical goals– Alternative materials– Solvent reduction or elimination– Heavy metal elimination– Industrial process improvement– Improved efficiency– Maintained performance– Lifecycle management

• Main Driver - To save money!!!

Past Green Energetics EffortsPast Green Energetics Efforts

Manufacturing Storage Use Demilitarization

Solventless processing

(SERDP PP-867)

(SERDP WP-757)

Clean Agile Manufacturing

(SERDP PP-63)

Insensitive Munitions

(WP-1072)

Laser Ignition (WP-680)

VOC Elimination in small caliber (SERDP WP1057)

Toxic materials and solvents in solid propellants

(SERDP WP1058)

Green energetic materials

(SERDP WP1115)

Recycling

(SERDP PP-660)

(SERDP PP-695)

High Explosive recycling

(ESTCP 9708)

SERDP Projects – Completed FY98-FY00SERDP Projects – Completed FY98-FY00

• Demonstrate TNAZ Pilot Plant, a Recyclable Explosive/Propellant Ingredient– LANL Process Using No

Chlorinated Solvents– Prior Process Used

• 30lbs Freon /lb of TNAZ• 5 lbs Methylene

Chloride/lb of TNAZ

TrinitroAzetidine

C3H4N4O6

“TNAZ”

Goals:Elimination of Halogen Emissions into EnvironmentClean and Affordable Manufacturing ProcessesRecycle of PEP During Demil

Success - TNAZ Pilot PlantSuccess - TNAZ Pilot Plant

• Technical goals – All of the past goals plus

• Insensitive munitions• Range sustainment (readiness, compliance)• Fate and effects • Transport mechanisms• Range studies (Does it pass the MMR test?)• Partially exploded/Low order detonations/Duds

• Main Driver - Preserving the mission

PresentPresent

Insensitive MunitionsInsensitive Munitions

Army Ordnance Environmental Program Conventional Ammunition

Army Ordnance Environmental Program Conventional Ammunition

AERTA: Replacement of RDX is of primary concernA secondary concern is … TNT and HMX

Rocket and Missile PropellantsRocket and Missile Propellants

AERTA: An alternative propellant to hydrazine...and propellants which contain no lead or AP are needed for strategic and tactical applications

PyrotechnicsPyrotechnics

AERTA: Pyrotechnics and obscurants must not containconstituents with high ESH liability

Army Success Perchlorate Replacement

Army Success Perchlorate Replacement

•Account for up to 70% of ClO4- on ranges•Product Improvement Program completed•Formulation ready for implementation

•Final down-select 3Q FY05•Implementation FY07

M115A1 & M116A2 Simulators

Virtual Laboratory for Design of Energetic Materials

Virtual Laboratory for Design of Energetic Materials

N

N

N

N

N

N

O2N

O2N NO2

NO2

O2N NO2

Predicting energetic materialperformance, sensitivity & ESOHproperties BEFORE synthesis.

Rapid fielding of materialsRapid fielding of materialsReduces R&D time from decades to monthsReduces R&D time from decades to months

Atomistic/Molecular

Micro

Meso

Continuum

Formulations by Design

Fate, Transport & EffectsFate, Transport & Effects

•Air pollution•Water pollution•Soil pollution•Eco-toxicity•Etc.

Environmental Environmental ImpactsImpacts

•Training restrictions•Operational costs•Cleanup/restoration costs•Poor public relations

Mission ImpactsMission Impacts

New energetics have unknown environmental impacts

Problem

Answer: Develop and adopt a standard protocol for environmental characterization of new energetic materials

TECHNICAL OBJECTIVE

Develop a technology base for ammonium perchlorate (AP) replacement in solid propellants, since no “drop-in” replacements

exist

• Develop more robust binders for better compatibility with alternative oxidizers such as ADN, AN, and organics

• Concurrently, develop modifications of alternative ingredients to enhance compatibility with other propellant ingredients

• Tailor particle size, shape and other properties as needed

• New ingredients must be tailored to the formulation, and vice versa

• Military interest/ support will wane if performance is reduced

• A “green” AP replacement must have near-ideal compatibility with formulation, and vice-versa

ADN (AMMONIUM DINITRAMID

NO2NH4+ -N

NO2

O2NN NNO2

O2NN NNO2

O2NNNNO2

CL-20 (HEXAAZAHEXANITROISOWURTZITA

N

H

NH

H

C

NO2

NO2

NO2

H H

-

HYDRAZINE NITROFORM

N—NO2NO2N—

NF2

NF2

F2N

F2N

TETRAKIS(DIFLUORAMINO)OCTAHYDRO-DINITRO-DIAZOCINE (HNFX)

TECHNICAL APPROACH

Improved ADNUtilization

Better Prilling/Particle Resizing/

Propellant Formulation

New Coatings and Bonding Agents

New Ingredients, Ballistic ModifiersMulti-property Tailoring

Evaluation

Safety/Sensitivity Mechanical Ballistic

AgingEnvironmental

More RobustRubbery Binders

Optimized Propellant

Interplay of Requirements Increases Complexity

Performance

Hazards Plume

Cost

Aging Combustion

Complex demands for 21st Century propellants

no parameter is independentmultiple improvements require greater efforts than previous effortsdevelopment dramatically slowed when trade-off priorities not known

THIOKOL PROPRIETARY DATA

DATA

Commercial EffortsCommercial Efforts

• TNT synthesis, elimination of red water• E-TPE utilization• Incorporation of Biological synthetic steps• Incorporation of Electrochemical synthetic

steps

• Technical goals – Range management/sustainment– Green energetic systems– Tagged munitions– No UXO– Biologically benign or biodegradable

ingredients – Identifiable inert munitions – Predictive capabilities

• If successful we will save money and preserve our mission.

FutureFuture

• Integrate green chemistry principles into energetic material S&T programs– Directly affects RDECOM– Impacts nearly all

energetics developers• Implement through training

– Kickoff: JANNAFMeeting, Aug 07

Army RDECOM Green Chemistry StrategyArmy RDECOM Green Chemistry Strategy

Navy Labs AF Labs

OSDPrograms

DOE LabsUniversities

Private Industry

Materials of Emerging Regulatory Interest Team (MERIT)

Materials of Emerging Regulatory Interest Team (MERIT)

• 2006 – OSD (I&E) established an Emerging Contaminants Directorate– MERIT – Members from all services – Emerging Contaminants IPT

• What is an emerging contaminant (EC)?– Perceived or real threat to human health or environment– Either no peer reviewed health standard or an evolving standard

• Why interested?– Limited human health/environmental data– New detection limits/capabilities– New exposure pathways

• Identify chemical issues early to proactively manage environmental issues

• Develop risk assessment and management strategies

Technology to the Warfighter Quicker

Questions??Questions??

More Than a Decade of Green Energetics R&D ResearchInsensitive MunitionsArmy Ordnance Environmental Program �Conventional AmmunitionRocket and Missile PropellantsPyrotechnicsArmy Success �Perchlorate ReplacementVirtual Laboratory for Design of Energetic MaterialsFate, Transport & EffectsCommercial EffortsArmy RDECOM Green Chemistry StrategyMaterials of Emerging Regulatory Interest Team (MERIT)Questions??