Method of Micro-Encapsulation of Nanometric Reactive Particle Mixtures with Explosive Cores

MicroFab Technologies has developed a method and equipment for making uniform populations of multi-micron plastic microsphere to a desired size. The technology developed at MicroFab will be directly applied to the problem stated in AF03-145 ofincorporating nanometric reactive particle mixtures into explosive or propellant casting mixes using conventional equipment. This will be done by first incorporating the nanosize reactive particles in multi-micron plastic spheres containing explosivematerials by MicroFab's jetting technology. Whereas the nanometric powder would not disperse in the casting mix due to development of high viscosity, the larger size microspheres, which will not provoke this reaction, can be incorporated using normalprocedures. The immediate benefit of successful completion of Phase I and Phase II of our proposal will be to the Air Force in that it can overcome a current problem in producing explosive materials by the melt casting process. A secondary benefit will beto MicroFab in that it will further develop its jetting method of making plastic microspheres. MicroFab Technologies, who is a manufacturer and seller of industrial and specialized ink jet equipment, will enjoy the opportunity to produce and commercializethe jetting equipment and method used to produce the microspheres.