Sol-gel chemistry is used for the preparation of energetic materials (explosives,
propellants and pyrotechnics) with improved homogeneity, and/or which can be cast
to near-net shape, and/or made into precision molding powders. The sol-gel method
is a synthetic chemical process where reactive monomers are mixed into a solution,
polymerization occurs leading to a highly cross-linked three dimensional solid
network resulting in a gel. The energetic materials can be incorporated during
the formation of the solution or during the gel stage of the process. The composition,
pore, and primary particle sizes, gel time, surface areas, and density may be tailored
and controlled by the solution chemistry. The gel is then dried using supercritical
extraction to produce a highly porous low density aerogel or by controlled slow
evaporation to produce a xerogel. Applying stress during the extraction phase can
result in high density materials. Thus, the sol-gel method can be used for precision
detonator explosive manufacturing as well as producing precision explosives, propellants,
and pyrotechnics, along with high power composite energetic materials.
