Metastable Intermolecular Composites (MIC) Primers for Small Caliber Cartridges and Cartridge Actuated Devices

Abstract

The purpose of this demonstration was to evaluate the performance of metastable intermolecular composite (MIC) primers with compositions formulated from commercially available lead-free nanoscale powders. For these tests, the MIC composition was substituted for the lead styphnate-based primer composition currently used in conventional small caliber percussion primers. Small caliber percussion primers are used by the Army in small caliber ammunition and by the Navy in several CAD/PAD applications. The major objective of the program was to demonstrate that the performance of the MIC primers was equivalent to that of the lead styphnate primers in several Army and Navy applications. These performance objectives were met in that all MIC primers tested were found to meet all applicable military specifications. For Army small arms applications, the MIC primer was slightly slower than its lead styphnate counterpart but still within specifications.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA554402

Entities

Organizations

  • Environmental Security Technology Certification Program

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Ammunition
  • Cartridge Actuated Devices
  • Closed Bomb Tests
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Products
  • Energetic Materials
  • Manufacturing
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Metastable Intermolecular Composites
  • Munitions
  • Petn
  • Propelling Charges
  • Small Arms Ammunition
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Facilities

Readers

  • Military/Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technology
  • Rocket Propulsion.
  • ballistics.