Non-Detonable Explosive Simulant via Polymer Microcapsule Encapsulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing explosive simulants are hazardous, prone to cross-contamination, and create explosive dust, making them unsuitable for safe handling and storage by trainers and instrumentation personnel.

Innovation Solution

A non-detonable explosive simulant is created by mixing the explosive with at least 50% inert material or encapsulating it in a polymer, which retains the explosive vapor until heat is applied, using microspheres or microcapsules with a polymer shell to control the release of the explosive vapor signature.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If explosive material is mixed with inert material to create simulant, then safety for handling and storage is improved, but cross-contamination during storage occurs due to vapor release at room temperature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety for handling and storageVSAvoidcross-contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent encapsulates explosive material in polymer shells forming microspheres or microcapsules. This flexible shell structure contains the explosive material, preventing vapor release and cross-contamination during storage, while allowing controlled release when heated for training purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses inert polymer materials as both the shell and matrix material to create an inert environment that prevents unwanted chemical reactions and vapor release, ensuring safety during storage and handling of the simulant mixture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

2Reliability

If explosive material is mixed with inert material to create simulant, then safety for handling and storage is improved, but explosive dust is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety for handling and storageVSAvoidexplosive dust

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the explosive material into discrete microsphere or microcapsule units, each encapsulated in polymer shell. This segmentation prevents the formation of explosive dust while maintaining the explosive material's vapor signature characteristics for training purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The polymer shells encapsulating the explosive material prevent dust generation by containing the material in intact spherical or capsular forms, eliminating the hazard of explosive dust during handling and storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If explosive material is mixed with inert material to create simulant, then non-detonable safety is achieved, but the explosive vapor signature is released at room temperature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenon-detonable safetyVSAvoidvapor release

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The polymer shells act as barriers that retain explosive vapor at room temperature, preventing unwanted vapor release while maintaining the non-detonable safety of the simulant. The shells only release vapor when heated to appropriate temperatures for training.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The inert polymer matrix and shell materials create an environment that suppresses vapor release at room temperature, allowing the simulant to maintain safety while preserving the explosive vapor signature for controlled release during training operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

Data Source

PatentUS9784723B1Systems and methods for providing non-detonatable explosives or explosive stimulant sources

Publication Date: 2017.10.10 COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

AI summary

A non-detonable source of at least one of an explosive or explosive vapor is disclosed, as well as a method of preparing the explosive or explosive vapor that includes the step of mixing the explosive with at least 50% inert material which retains the explosive vapor until heat is applied.