AFOSR/PK, 110 Duncan Avenue, Room B115, Bolling AFB, DC 20332-8050

A -- EXPLORATORY RESEARCH IN HIGH ENERGY DENSITY MATERIALS (HEDM) SOL AFOSR BAA 98-3 DUE 022098 POC Dr. Michael R Berman, (202) 767-4963 WEB: Doing Business With AFOSR, http://www.afosr.af.mil. E-MAIL: None, michael.berman@afosr.af.mil. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and Defense Advanced Project Agency (DARPA) announces a fiscal year 1998 competition for exploratory research in High Energy Density Materials (HEDM). PROGRAM GOALS This program is focused on stimulating a major breakthrough in the availability of new high energy density materials (HEDM) for use by the U. S. armed forces, government agencies and commercial activities. The primary objective is to synthesize HEDM materials which would provide at least a 200% increase in explosive power relative to HMX and/or develop a minimal signature propellant with a specific impulse of more than 450 seconds at 1000 psi chamber pressure. The HEDM must meet DoD requirements for storability, shock sensitivity, operational handling and deployment. A secondary objective is to improve environmental factors associated with the manufacture and use of explosives and propellants. TASK 001 Nitrogen HEDM Synthesis: The existence of pure nitrogen compounds (Nx, x=4,5,6...) has been predicted by numerous quantum mechanical calculations over the last ten years. The calculations indicate that these materials have high exothermicity (180 kcal/mole N4 (Td) at MP2/6-31G*) and predicted barriers to dissociation on the order of 30-60 kcal/mole. The decomposition of N4 (Td) gives an adiabatic flame temperature of 7600 K and an Isp of 445 seconds at 1000 psi chamber pressure. The primary decomposition product (99%) at the nozzle exit plane is N2 with traces of atomic N and N3. The first task of the effort is to develop a synthetic route for the production of all-nitrogen HEDM compounds. The initial synthesis will produce microgram to milligram quantities of all-nitrogen HEDM; eventually the synthetic route will be scaled up to gram quantities of HEDM. The chemical composition and structure of synthetic products must be established by appropriate analytical techniques (e.g. Raman, IR, and mass spectroscopy). Ab initio quantum mechanical calculations will be performed to determine HEDM geometric structures, their normal modes and isotopic shifts. Models of synthetic mechanistic and kinetic details will be developed utilizing quantum mechanical tools, experimental data and/or information from existing databases. A second aspect of this task is to synthesize nitrogen content oxidizers and monopropellants such as N-F and N-O compounds. These HEDMs must provide significant improvement over current technology in propulsive performance. TASK 002 HEDM Properties: Physical and chemical properties of all-nitrogen HEDM will be obtained. The synthetic route will be scaled up to gram quantities. HEDM must be isolated and possibly purified. Physical properties such as vapor pressure, heat of formation, shock sensitivity and stability and decomposition rate as a function of temperature will be determined. This AFOSR documents, and others, are available on the AFOSR website at http://www.afosr.af.mil. Please select the "Doing Business With AFOSR" selection. A very limited number of hardcopies will be available for individuals without access to the internet. To request a hard copy please contact (202) 767-4990. Note 26. (0036)

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