Abstract:  It is proposed to study the fragmentation and behavior of certain structural energetic materials and how these processes contribute to their reactivity. The constitutive properties of aluminum based intermetallic forming systems will be studied to quantify the physics of the deformation and fragmentation processes and the subsequent effect on reaction initiation.

Particular emphasis will be placed on the influence of microstructure morphology and composition.

The proposed research will utilize a variety of experiments including Hopkinson Bar impact and explosive fragmentation to understand the constitutive and fragmentation behavior of various material systems. These experiments will be utilized to inform and confirm a series of mesoscale simulations that will directly investigate the impact of microstructure morphology and composition on the formation of fragments and the reactivity of these systems.

The constitutive and fragmentation behavior is the key to the application of structural energetic materials to safer and more effective munitions.

Using structural energetic materials will permit the creation of more efficient and safer munitions.