Claims
- 1. A method of shaping a reactive exoergic material, comprising:
- (a) introducing an oxygen-free plasma-forming gas into a plasma spray;
- (b) introducing said reactive exoergic material in finely divided particulate form into said plasma spray directed toward, but not impinging on, a substrate;
- (c) melting, without chemically reacting, said reactive exoergic material in the plasma; and
- (d) impinging said molten reactive exoergic material on said substrate to form a reactive exoergic shape which corresponds to the shape of said substrate.
- 2. A method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of said plasma is from about 15,000.degree. to about 30,000.degree. C.
- 3. A method of claim 1, wherein said reactive exoergic material is a mixture of Al and Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3.
- 4. A method of claim 1, wherein said reactive exoergic material is a mixture of Al and Cu.sub.2 O.
- 5. A method of claim 1, wherein said reactive exoergic material is a mixture of Ti and B.
- 6. A method of claim 3, wherein said mixture is diluted with zirconia.
- 7. A method of claim 4, wherein said mixture is diluted with zirconia.
- 8. A method of claim 5, wherein said mixture is diluted with zirconia.
- 9. A method of claim 1, wherein said gas is introduced into said plasma spray at a rate of from about 40 to about 60 ft.sup.3 /hr.
- 10. A method of claim 1, wherein said reactive exoergic material is introduced at the rate of from about 40 to about 60 grams/minute.
- 11. A method of claim 10, wherein said reactive exoergic material is introduced at the rate of from about 45 to about 48 grams/minute.
- 12. A method of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises graphite.
- 13. A method of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a polytetrahaloethane.
- 14. A method of claim 1, wherein said reactive exoergic material is a thermite material.
- 15. A method of claim 1, wherein said reactive exoergic material is a pyrotechnic material.
- 16. An article comprising a solidified mass of exoergic material produced by the process of claim 1.
- 17. An article comprising a solidified mass of exoergic material produced by the process of claim 3.
- 18. An article comprising a solidified mass of exoergic material produced by the process of claim 4.
- 19. An article comprising a solidified mass of exoergic material produced by the process of claim 5.
Government Interests
The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC04-76DP00053 between the U.S. Department of Energy and Monsanto Research Corporation.
US Referenced Citations (15)