A temperature-mapping molecular sensor for polyurethane-based elastomers

Abstract

We present a crosslinked polyurethane elastomer featuring a thermochromic molecular sensor for local temperature analysis. The thermochrome is a modified donor-acceptor Stenhouse adduct (DASA) that was dispersed homogeneously into the polymer blend in minuscule amounts. Rapid temperature jump measurements in a pyroprobe and impacts in a Hopkinson bar show that the DASA has suitable kinetics for detecting localized temperature increase following impact or rapid heating. The thermochrome retains a signature of the peak temperature in the elastomer, allowing post-mortem mapping of micron-scale temperature localization in materials such as explosive and propellant composites. We demonstrate the concept by using the kinetics of the DASA activation to determine peak temperatures reached during bullet perforation of the polyurethane.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Jan 25, 2016
Source ID
10.1063/1.4940750

Entities

People

  • A. Harper
  • A. Mceachen
  • B. P. Mason
  • J. Hemmer
  • J. P. Hooper
  • Javier Read de Alaniz
  • M. Whittaker
  • S. Arora
  • S. Helmy
  • Sufian Alnemrat

Organizations

  • California NanoSystems Institute
  • Defense Threat Reduction Agency
  • Naval Postgraduate School
  • Naval Surface Warfare Center
  • University of California

Tags

Readers

  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Polymer Science and Technology
  • Reinforced Composite Materials