High Energy Density Resin Systems for Additive Manufacturing of Explosive and Propellant Formulations

The Army needs to develop energetic formulations suitable for additive manufacturing. One approach is to tailor energetic prepolymers and plasticizers to enable rapid curing. This would lower manufacturing costs, increase manufacturing throughput as well as increase the range and lethality of the system it is incorporated into. To date, the problem with energetic polymers and additive manufacturing is that existing polymers that are amenable to AM practices are not energetic, and the inert polymers that are amenable to AM suffer from poor mechanical properties and thermal stability. Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) and New Mexico Technical University (NMT) proposes to create high energy density prepolymers, plasticizers, and curatives that enable AM practices and are scalable. The novel processes will use emergent technologies that will enable rapid, scalable and low-cost production. In Phase I, PSI and NMT will synthesize and demonstrate the high energy density components ability to be rapidly cured, as well as demonstrating superior energy content to baseline systems. In Phase II, PSI and NMT will scale up the synthesis and demonstrate scalable, low cost production as well as AM in formulated systems. PSI will work with DoD primes to advance the TRL and transition the technology into commercial production.