Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Marquez, Michael P.

Publications and source records attributed to Marquez, Michael P..

Explosive device comprising an explosive material having controlled explosive properties

An explosive device is described herein, wherein the explosive device includes a substrate that has a surface, wherein surface energy of a portion of the surface of the substrate has been modified in a vacuum chamber from a first surface energy to a second surface energy. The explosive device additionally includes explosive material that has been deposited on the surface of the substrate in the vacuum chamber by way of physical vapor deposition (PVD), wherein the explosive material is deposited on the portion of the surface of the substrate subsequent to the surface energy of the portion of the surface of the substrate being modified from the first surface energy to the second surface energy.

Forrest, Eric Christopher↗

Explosive device comprising an explosive material having controlled explosive properties

An explosive device is described herein, wherein the explosive device includes a substrate that has a surface, wherein surface energy of a portion of the surface of the substrate has been modified in a vacuum chamber from a first surface energy to a second surface energy. The explosive device additionally includes explosive material that has been deposited on the surface of the substrate in the vacuum chamber by way of physical vapor deposition (PVD), wherein the explosive material is deposited on the portion of the surface of the substrate subsequent to the surface energy of the portion of the surface of the substrate being modified from the first surface energy to the second surface energy.

Forrest, Eric Christopher↗

Investigating growth to detonation in vapor-deposited hexanitrostilbene and pentaerythritol tetranitrate films using high-throughput methods

In this work, a high-throughput experimental setup was used to characterize initiation threshold and growth to detonation in the explosives hexanitrostilbene (HNS) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN). The experiment sequentially launched an array of laser-driven flyers to shock samples arranged in a 96-well microplate geometry, with photonic Doppler velocimetry diagnostics to characterize flyer velocity and particle velocity at the explosive–substrate interface. Vapor-deposited films of HNS and PETN were used to provide numerous samples with various thicknesses, enabling characterization of the evolution of growth to detonation. One-dimensional hydrocode simulations were performed with reactions disabled to illustrate where the experimental data deviate from the predicted inert response. Prompt initiation was observed in 144 μm thick HNS films at flyer velocities near 3000 m/s and in 125 μm thick PETN films at flyer velocities near 2400 m/s. This experimental setup enables rapid quantification of the growth of reactions in explosive materials that can reach detonation at sub-millimeter length scales. These data can subsequently be used for parameterizing reactive burn models in hydrocode simulations, as discussed in Paper II [D. E. Kittell, R. Knepper, and A. S. Tappan, J. Appl. Phys. 131, 154902 (2022)].

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Non-Contact Mass Density and Thermal Conductivity Measurements of Organic Thin Films Using Frequency–Domain Thermoreflectance

Thin-film organic materials are broadly used to study amorphous stabilization of active pharmaceuticals, control explosive detonation phenomena, and introduce insulation in novel thermal barriers. Their synthesis, however, introduces defects and thickness variations that warrant careful characterization of local thermophysical properties such as thermal conductivity and mass density. In this study, wide bandwidth (200 Hz to 20 MHz) frequency–domain thermoreflectance (FDTR) is demonstrated to simultaneously extract the thermal conductivity and mass density of 1 μm physical vapor-deposited indomethacin films on Si and SiO 2 substrates, as well as 10 and 100 μm films on Si. By assuming a bulk specific heat capacity, mass densities are determined with FDTR measurements of volumetric heat capacity and are in good agreement with the literature, as well as models based upon a dependence on porosity and the kinetic theory for phonons. Lastly, it is found that for broad-band FDTR measurements, insulating substrates provide improved fidelity for the extraction of thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity in organic thin films. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential for FDTR as a non-contact method to determine microscale mass density variations across the surface and thickness of organic thin films.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Engineering the Microstructure and Morphology of Explosive Films via Control of Interfacial Energy

Physical vapor deposition of organic explosives enables growth of polycrystalline films with a unique microstructure and morphology compared to the bulk material. This study demonstrates the ability to control crystal orientation and porosity in pentaerythritol tetranitrate films by varying the interfacial energy between the substrate and the vapor-deposited explosive. Additionally, variation in density, porosity, surface roughness, and optical properties is achieved in the explosive film, with significant implications for initiation sensitivity and detonation performance of the explosive material. Various surface science techniques, including angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and multiliquid contact angle analysis, are utilized to characterize interfacial characteristics between the substrate and explosive film. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy of pentaerythritol tetranitrate surfaces and fracture cross sections illustrate the difference in morphology evolution and the microstructure achieved through surface energy modification. X-ray diffraction studies with the Tilt-A-Whirl three-dimensional pole figure rendering and texture analysis software suite reveal that high surface energy substrates result in a preferred (110) out-of-plane orientation of pentaerythritol tetranitrate crystallites and denser films. Low surface energy substrates create more randomly textured pentaerythritol tetranitrate and lead to nanoscale porosity and lower density films. This work furthers the scientific basis for interfacial engineering of polycrystalline organic explosive films through control of surface energy, enabling future study of dynamic and reactive detonative phenomena at the microscale. Results of this study also have potential applications to active pharmaceutical ingredients, stimuli-responsive polymer films, organic thin film transistors, and other areas.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Refractive Imaging of Air Shock Above Microscale Defects in Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) Films

Physical vapor deposition (PVD) of high explosives can produce energetic samples with unique microstructure and morphology compared to traditional powder processing techniques, but challenges may exist in fabricating explosive films without defects. Deposition conditions and substrate material may promote microcracking and other defects in the explosive films. Here, we investigate effects of engineered microscale defects (gaps) on detonation propagation and failure for pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) films using ultra-high-speed refractive imaging and hydrocode modelling. Observations of the air shock above the gap reveal significant instabilities during gap crossing and re-ignition.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗