Lead-free electric match compositions

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-03-23
LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Fuses have the disadvantage of burning with a long delay before igniting a pyrotechnic device.
Unfortunately, most current commercial electric match compositions contain lead compounds, e.g., lead thiocyanate, lead nitroresorcinate, lead oxides or lead picramate, which when burned, vaporize to produce a lead-containing smoke.
For commercial pyrotechnic displays, such lead-containing smoke is a pollutant causing detrimental exposure to a cast, crew and audience.

Method used

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  • Lead-free electric match compositions
  • Lead-free electric match compositions

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0021] A bare electric match head was dipped into a sample composition for the primary layer. The sample composition had been diluted with ethyl acetate containing 0.3 weight percent FC 430 (from 3M) surfactant. The primary layer included about 6 milligrams (mg) of a mixture of 9 percent by weight of 13.5 percent nitrogen content nitrocellulose (NC), and a 91 percent by weight of a mixture of 121 nm nanosize aluminum (from Technanogy, Inc., Irvine Calif.), 132 nm nanosize aluminum (from Technanogy, Inc., Irvine Calif.) and a nanoscale MoO3 material obtained from Climax Corp. having a sheet thickness of about 15 nm. Nanoscale aluminum (45 percent by weight) and nanoscale molybdenum trioxide (55 percent by weight) had been previously mixed by sonication to obtain the desired thermite metal / metal oxide mixture. After the primary layer, a thin barrier coating of nitrocellulose was deposited by dipping the match head into a nitrocellulose / ethyl acetate lacquer.

[0022] A secondary pyrotec...

example 2

[0025] Aging tests were conducted on the final electric match heads. The protective topcoating had been used to keep moisture from contact with the nanosize aluminum. The final electric match heads were submerged in water for three weeks and continued to perform reliably.

example 3

[0026] Impact tests (2.5 kg weight onto bare anvil) were conducted on the lead-free matches by placing the match head sample between two sheets of thick paper card stock and allowing a 1-kg drop weight to fall onto the sample. It was determined from twenty samples that the 50% probability of ignition (as described by Paine et al., Inorg. Chem., vol. 38, pp. 3738-3743 (1999)) was approximately 56 kg-cm. Identical tests on seven other commercially available electric matches of standard construction and performance gave results that ranged between 9 kg-cm and 23 kg-cm.

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Abstract

An electric match including nanoscale particulates of an energetic material and a binder is provided. The energetic material can be a nanoscale thermite metal / metal oxide mixture, a nanoscale intermetallic material mixture, or a nanoscale fuel and oxidant mixture.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERAL RIGHTS [0001] This invention was made with government support under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in the invention.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to electric match compositions, preferably lead-free electric match compositions and to electric matches, preferably lead-free electric matches. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Electric matches are used in the field of pyrotechnics to initiate devices by electrical means rather than by fuses. Fuses have the disadvantage of burning with a long delay before igniting a pyrotechnic device. Electric matches can instantaneously fire a device upon a user's command. In addition, electric matches can be fired remotely at a safe distance. [0004] Unfortunately, most current commercial electric match compositions contain lead compounds, e.g., lead thiocyanate, lead nitroresorcinate, lead oxides or lead picramate, which w...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): C06B33/00C06C9/00C06C15/00
CPCC06B33/00C06B45/14C06C9/00F42B3/198F42B3/11F42B3/128C06C15/00
InventorNAUD, DARRENSON, STEVEN F.HISKEY, MICHAEL A.BUSSE, JAMES R.ASAY, BLAINE W.
OwnerLOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY