Coating processes towards selective laser sintering of energetic material composites

dc.contributor.advisorFocke, Walter Wilhelm
dc.contributor.coadvisorKalombo, Lonji
dc.contributor.emailu17397678@tuks.co.za
dc.contributor.postgraduateJiba, Zetu
dc.date.accessioned2021-04-06T07:22:23Z
dc.date.available2021-04-06T07:22:23Z
dc.date.created2020/05/05
dc.date.issued2019
dc.descriptionDissertation (MSc (Applied Science:Chemical Technology))--University of Pretoria, 2019.
dc.description.abstractThis research aims to contribute to the safe methodology for additive manufacturing (AM) of energetic materials. Coating formulation processes were investigated to find a suitable method that may enable selective laser sintering (SLS) as the safe method for fabrication of high explosive (HE) compositions. For safety and convenience reasons, the concept demonstration was conducted using inert explosive simulants with properties quasi-similar to the real HE. Coating processes for simulant RDX-based microparticles by means of PCL and 3,4,5- trimethoxybenzaldehyde (as TNT simulant) are reported. These processes were evaluated for uniformity of coating the HE inert simulant particles with binder materials to facilitate the SLS as the adequate binding and fabrication method. The critical constraints being the coating effectiveness required, spherical particle morphology, micron size range (>20 μm) and a good powder deposition and flow, and performance under SLS to make the method applicable for HEs. Of the coating processes investigated, suspension system and single emulsion methods gave required particle near spherical morphology, size and uniform coating. The suspension process appears to be suitable for the SLS of HE mocks and potential formulation methods for active HE composites. The density was estimated to be comparable with the current HE compositions and plastic bonded explosives (PBXs) such as C4 and PE4, produced from traditional methods. The formulation method developed and the understanding of the science behind the processes paves the way toward safe SLS of the active HE compositions and may open avenues for further research and development of munitions of the future.
dc.description.availabilityUnrestricted
dc.description.degreeMSc (Applied Science:Chemical Technology)
dc.description.departmentChemical Engineering
dc.identifier.citationJiba, Z 2019, Coating processes towards selective laser sintering of energetic material composites, MSc Dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/79246>
dc.identifier.otherA2020
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/79246
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of Pretoria
dc.rights© 2020 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.subjectCoating processes
dc.subjectEnergetic Materials
dc.subjectSimulants
dc.subjectMock explosives
dc.subjectAdditive manufacturing
dc.titleCoating processes towards selective laser sintering of energetic material composites
dc.typeDissertation

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