Polymer Emulsion Binder for Press Polymer-Bonded Explosives

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing water-slurry process for manufacturing press polymer-bonded explosives requires high-temperature distillation to remove organic solvents, posing safety hazards and environmental risks, and limits the use of energy metals due to hydration reactions at high temperatures.

Innovation Solution

The process is improved by using a polymer emulsion instead of organic solvents, which eliminates the need for high-temperature distillation, allowing for safer and more environmentally friendly production, and enabling the incorporation of metals like aluminum, magnesium, and boron to enhance explosion energy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If organic solvent is used in the water-slurry process, then coating and agglomeration of explosive particles can be achieved, but high-temperature distillation is required which poses safety hazards and environmental risks

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the binder system from organic solvent-based to water-based polymer emulsion. This parameter change eliminates the need for high-temperature distillation (100°C or more) while maintaining the coating and agglomeration functions, thereby improving safety and environmental compatibility without sacrificing manufacturability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the thermal field (distillation process) with a chemical field approach (water-based polymer emulsion). Instead of using heat to remove organic solvent, the invention uses water-soluble polymer emulsion that naturally forms the binder matrix, substituting a thermal processing system with a chemical composition system that achieves the same functional result without safety hazards

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If high-temperature distillation is performed to remove organic solvent, then granular powder can be obtained, but manufacturing time is extended and production efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By changing from organic solvent to water-based polymer emulsion, the patent eliminates the time-consuming distillation step. The water-based system allows for direct drying at lower temperatures, dramatically reducing the manufacturing cycle time and increasing production efficiency by 1000% per reactor

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the distillation step from the manufacturing process by using water-based polymer emulsion instead of organic solvent. This extraction of the problematic step eliminates the time loss associated with high-temperature solvent removal while maintaining the essential function of obtaining granular powder

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If high-temperature distillation is used, then organic solvent can be removed, but environmental harm and handling safety issues arise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental harmVSAvoidprocess simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the solvent parameter from organic to water-based, fundamentally altering the environmental and safety profile of the process. Water-based polymer emulsion eliminates volatile organic compound emissions and fire hazards associated with organic solvents, improving environmental compatibility while maintaining process simplicity through straightforward drying operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of water (requiring drying) into a benefit by using water-based polymer emulsion. Water serves as a safe, non-flammable, environmentally benign carrier that can be easily removed by low-temperature drying, transforming what could be a disadvantage (moisture content) into an advantage (safety and environmental compatibility)

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

4Adaptability or versatility

If high-temperature processing is performed, then solvent removal is achieved, but energy metals cannot be incorporated due to hydration reactions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial composition flexibilityVSAvoidprocessing temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

By changing from high-temperature organic solvent processing to low-temperature water-based polymer emulsion processing, the patent creates conditions suitable for incorporating temperature-sensitive energy metals like aluminum, magnesium, and boron. The lower processing temperature prevents unwanted hydration reactions while maintaining material composition flexibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by incorporating energy metals into the mixture before the binder sets, taking advantage of the low-temperature water-based system to include these metals without triggering hydration reactions. This preliminary incorporation is made possible by the gentler processing conditions of the water-based system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach reduces manufacturing time and costs, increases production efficiency by 1000% per reactor, and enhances the explosion energy of the final product while ensuring safety and eco-friendliness.

Implementation Method 1

adding a polymer emulsion to a suspension in which explosive particles are dispersed in water, thus agglomerating the explosive particles and the polymer binder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

a polymer emulsion is used to maximize the efficiency of a process

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentEP3611152B1Method for manufacturing compressed composite gunpowder using polymer emulsion, and compressed composite gunpowder manufactured thereby
Publication Date: 2024.02.07 AGENCY FOR DEFENSE DEV
  • EP3611152B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3611152B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3611152B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a press polymer-bonded explosive, in which a polymer emulsion is used to maximize the efficiency of a process, and a press polymer-bonded explosive manufactured using the same. The method includes a polymer-emulsion-manufacturing step of mixing a monomer of a polymer binder and an emulsifier with a process water and then adding an initiator to thus manufacture a polymer emulsion using a polymerization reaction, a slurry-manufacturing step of mixing a raw material including an explosive and an emulsion breaker with fresh process water to thus manufacture a slurry, an agglomerated-particle-forming step of adding the manufactured polymer emulsion to the manufactured slurry to thus form agglomerated particles in which a surface of the raw material is coated with the polymer binder, and an agglomerated-particle-obtaining step of collecting the agglomerated particles using filtration and drying the collected agglomerated particles.