Centre of Expertise in Energetic Materials (CEEM)

Prof. Joe Shapter (Flinders)Director

Dr. Ian Lochert (DSTO)

CEEMDSTO sponsored Centre of Expertise in Energetic Materials (CEEM) based at Flinders University in the School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences

Vision StatementThe Centre of Expertise will be a world leading collaborative research facility in the field of energetic materials, providing excellence in research and education.

Exciting Combination of both the Synthetic and Characterisation Capabilities of Flinders and the Energetic Material Expertise and Infrastructure of DSTO as well as academic and industry approaches.

Collaborative nature will provide a unique ability and approach to conduct fundamental and applied research in the field of energetic materials with a focus on Defence and National Security.

CEEMThe Centre of Expertise will:• Conduct research of the highest standard• Examine technologies & develop new techniques• Establish a national hub to facilitate cooperative research

• Biennial Chemistry of Energetic Materials Workshop (non Parari years)

• Provide education programmes • Develop training programmes

Key Focus Areas:• Safety and Environment• Materials and Properties• Detection and Analysis

CEEM Capabilities and Equipment (Flinders)

• Chemical synthesis • Analytical chemistry• Nanomaterials including carbon nanotube chemistry• Atomic and molecular surface nanostructures• Polymer development and analysis• Polymer physics• Detection devices – chemical, explosives, biological• Molecular dynamics• Supramolecular chemistry and host-guest detection• Nanoscale microscopic characterisation• Electrochemical detection of species

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CEEM Capabilities and Equipment (DSTO)

• Purpose built laboratories for synthesis, processing and analysis of energetic materials• Sensitiveness testing facilities• Formulation/manufacturing of propellants, pyrotechnics and explosives• Firing chambers for instrumented detonics experiments up to 5kg• Pyrotechnics burn room and flare tunnel• IR Imaging cameras• IR & UV spectrometers (for measuring emission spectra),• High-speed digital photo-instrumentation (streak, framing and video)• Accelerated ageing of energetic materials• Assessment of interior ballistics performance of propellants• Modelling

CEEM Capabilities and Equipment (Flinders)Flinders has invested more than $5M in cutting-edge research equipment over the last 5 years including:• Nanoscale microscopes• Surface sensitive IR spectrometer• MALDI mass spectrometer• Particle sizing• Surface chemical analysis• Plasma processing equipment• Electrochemistry suite• 600MHz solid state NMR (plus two others)• Separation capabilities

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CEEM Capabilities and Equipment (DSTO)Analytical capabilities including:• Calorimetry Analysis• Molecular and Electronic Spectroscopy• Dynamic Mechanical Analysis• Mechanical Testing (Instron)• Particle Sizing• Chromatography• Density (Helium Pycnometry)• Ion Mobility Spectroscopy (hand-held and benchtop)• Digital Microscopy with Image Analysis• Thermal Property Analyser (thermal conductivity / diffusivity) • Karl Fischer Determination of Water Content• Atomic Absorption

Current & Past Honours Projects

15 honours projects have been run over the past four years

• Single Crystal Chromatographic Analysis of RDX• Host-Guest Complexes Incorporating NTO• AFM Study of RDX/DNAN Melt-Cast Explosives• Evaluation and Synthesis of 1,2-dioxines as Energetic Materials• Explosive Porous Silicon• New Methods for the Analysis of Infrared Countermeasures• Composite Energetic Materials Formed by Molecular Inclusion

Host-Guest Complexes Incorporating NTOSupervisors: Prof. Kevin Wainwright (Flinders) and Dr. Phil Davies & Mr.

Matt Smith (DSTO)

• Produce the host-guest complex incorporating NTO

• Decrease sensitivity• Increase performance• Alter the pathway to synthesise a

family of compounds

Students: Rachel King and Kim Salvatore

Single Crystal Chromatographic Analysis of RDXDr. Claire Lenehan & A/P Stewart Walker and Dr. Phil Davies (DSTO)

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HMX

RDX

Injection

Overlayed chromatographs of Type 2 RDX with UV Detection at 235 nm

Aim: Determine how HMX exists in the RDX crystal structure and the relative quantity of the HMX in the RDX crystal

ResultsHPLC analysis of individual crystals

HMX impurity present within all individual crystals analysed

Distribution randomDifferent for different sources

Student: Andrew Blok

AFM Study of RDX/DNAN Melt-Cast ExplosivesProf. Joe Shapter (Flinders) and Dr. Phil Davies (DSTO)

• The incorporation of RDX into DNAN is causing the surface to be modified due to the heat used in manufacture

• The surface roughness is decreasing due to the sharp points and edges melting due to concentration of heat buildup at points and edges

Pure RDX From Melt Cast

AFM Images

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Student: Nick Absolom

Explosive Porous SiliconProf. Nico Voelcker (Flinders) and Mr. Matt Smith (DSTO)

Attempted scaling for massMass of sample 3.8mgCalculated mass of porous layer 0.042mg8.67kJ/g

Differential Scanning Calorimetry

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Students: Rick Dawson and Andy Plummer

New Methods for the Analysis of Infrared CountermeasuresDr. Claire Lenehan (Flinders) and Dr. Mike Stringer & Mike Morgan (DSTO)

• New and exotic compositions

• Don’t know what is actually in the countermeasures

• Establish the effectiveness of a variety of analytical methods for determining the composition of countermeasures– Complex compositions

Student: Elise Jaeschke

CEEM

CEEM is an exciting new joint venture with unique capabilities due the diversity of people and facilities

involved.

Current activities will be the subject of the last session.

Please come visit the centre!!

Personnel• Dr Joe Shapter (Flinders) is the Director• Dr Noel Martin (DSTO) is the Deputy Director• Dr Ian Lochert is the DSTO technical POC• DSTO staff from Explosives and Pyrotechnics, Weapons Propulsion and Threat Mitigation Groups• Other DSTO staff in specific roles• Flinders University academics & technical staff from School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences• Flinders University honours and postgraduate students