Self-luminous materials, tracer munitions and lighting devices

Abstract

A self-luminous solid material comprising a man-made metal mixture containing an oxide of iron and at least one rare earth metal. The material can induce yellow to red (577-700 nm wavelength) self-luminescence through flame ignition. A stealth tracer round includes a projectile body having a tip and a base, and a solid pellet disposed in the base. The pellets may be formed from the aforementioned self-luminous solid materials or other suitable materials. When the tracer rounds are fired, the pellets are white-hot due to heating. The white-hot pellets emit light that can only be seen from behind when the tracer projectile is launched and flies in the direction of launch.

Description

[0001] Statement Regarding Federally Sponsored Research or Development [0002] This invention was made with government support under Contract Nos. CON00011161 and CON00020616 awarded by the US Army Equipment Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC). The government owns certain rights in the invention. Background technique [0003] The present invention generally relates to luminescent materials, in particular to novel self-luminous solid materials and their use in novel tracer ammunition. The invention also particularly relates to novel illuminants and their use in novel lighting devices. [0004] Tracer munitions include warheads and other projectiles that include a mechanism to provide a visible object that enables the shooter to see the path of the munition after firing. The tracer ammunition may comprise a small pyrotechnic powder charge filled into a cavity made in the base. This charge can be ignited by incendiary gun powder and, once ignited, burns brigh...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Conventional tracer ammunition also has the disadvantage that when the pyrotechnic powder charge burns and leaves the cavity, the mass of the projectile decreases, as a result: the ammunition has unstable terminal ballistics, which reduces targeting accuracy

Existing lights are not always ideal in the visibility or duration of their signals

[0011] In addition, existing illuminants contain environmentally harmful chemicals such as chlorine derivatives (perchlorates)

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