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Current Research

Melt Dispersion Mechanism for Nano-scale Thermites

Steven Dean This project focuses on quantifying and qualifying changes in Al+PTFE composite burn rates with changes in density. Confined and unconfined compressed pellets are ignited using a 400W pulsed CO2 laser. Burn rates and ignition delay times are recorded with a high speed digital camera. Birce Dikici The objective of this project is to validate the melt dispersion theory experimentally by designing experiments that examine the combustion behavior of nanocomposite powder mixtures of Aluminum and Molybdenum Trioxide. Combustion velocity and pressure measurements are analyzed for mixtures confined in cylindrical tubes.

Heat Transfer Properties of Energetic Materials into Steel Substrates

Charles Crane This project involves using an infrared camera to quantify heat transfer rates from a nano-scaled thermite into a steel substrate.

Underwater Energetic Composites

Shawn Stacy This project involves using high speed photography to determine the energy content of energetic composites by examining the bubbles they form when they are ignited underwater.