KOSEN 한인과학기술자네트워크

Reactants and Combustion Processes for Neutralization of Chemical and Biological Agents Primary Sponsor: Department of Defense Deadline: 4/11/2001 KEYWORDS TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Chemical/Biological Defense OBJECTIVE: Synthesize and formulate improved chemical systems that produce vigorous reactants and sustain high temperatures in order to neutralize toxic chemical and biological agents. The improved chemical systems must consume these agents rapidly by combustion and fast reaction without dispersing them by causing an explosion. DESCRIPTION: The neutralization and destruction of chemical- and biological agents introduce unique research challenges. In most cases, such agents cannot be destroyed by conventional explosives because the hazards of dispersing materials that are not fully neutralized. The need exists for new energetic materials and formulations that behave more like propellants than explosives. Such materials would react to produce large amounts of highly reactive, primary combustion products that would mix and react with the toxic agents. Combustion and sustained heating then would be the primary modes of destruction and neutralization. Literature is available on industrial incineration of the same agents and their simulates. The primary difference is that the industrial type incineration is accomplished under controlled conditions, whereas this topic seeks approaches for the neutralization in hostile, uncontrolled environments. The hazardous and diverse nature of the reactants makes the destruction difficult to characterize experimentally. Thus, laboratory experiments that simulate the ignition, flame spreading, mixing, etc processes are essential. For research purposes, it will be necessary to avoid experiments that introduce extraordinary hazards. Bacterial spores are among the most resistant forms of life. Hazardous chemical agents are often organic compounds containing organic heteroatoms. Therefore, research on the production type incineration of such agents provides the precedent for using chemical agent simulates (such as triethyl phosphate C6H15O4P) and nonhazardous materials with thermal decomposition properties similar to spores. To achieve these goals more efficiently, specialized energetic materials are needed that introduce reactive combustion products. For example, ingredient ammonium perchlorate (AP), NH4ClO4, when burned with binders, produces high flame temperatures (>2500 K) and reactive products such as HCl, OH, etc. These reactive products further react with the surrounding atmosphere, disturbed environment, and targeted agents. Fluorine and its intermediate compounds are known to be more reactive than chlorine produced by conventional propellants. Systems that can produce large fractions of free fluorine are of particular interest. It is anticipated that the synthesis of the fluorinated compounds will require novel techniques that extend beyond the conventional NF2 chemistry. PHASE I: A successful phase I effort will develop and assess a destruction concept based on either new energetic materials or nonconventional formations. The process controlling reaction steps and implementation schemes will be predicted. The initial questions concerning material synthesis or practicality and safety will be addressed. An experimental program of quantifying the effectiveness using simulants will be described. PHASE II: A successful phase II effort will produce laboratory quantities of either a new material or nonconventional formulation that delivers reactive combustion products markedly superior to conventional propellant and reactant systems. Subscale experiments will be set up that quantify the ignition, mixing and flame spreading processes. The kinetics of the process controlling steps will be established. Appropriate flame models will be developed and used to correlate and explain the experimental findings. Analyses will develop the concept into a working prototype that can demonstrate the performance and effectiveness of the concept. Depending on the materials and concept, the use of DoD or industrial special test facilities can be proposed for measuring ignition and flame spread in a well instrumented, controlled, and safe environment. DoD facilities will be available at no cost to the contractor. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The production potentials of the specialty materials and nonconventional formulations are large. The end-item will involve specialty packaging and custom delivery systems (i.e, airplane, missile, etc). Phase III funding probably requires involving an aerospace systems prime contractor to assess the market and to advise on the broader systems considerations. Stimulating the interest of an aerospace prime in the total system should be an integral part of the Phase II process. COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: The demonstration of effective new energetic compounds and formulations could lead to production opportunities for military application. The underlying problem is not likely to go away. Dual use will involve the production of pyrotechnic devices and/or recipes for hazardous site protection and remediation in response to a toxic chemical or biological event. REFERENCES: "Evaluation of Demonstration Test Results of Alternative Technologies for Demilitarization of Assembled Chemical Weapons: A Supplemental Review," Committee on Review and Evaluation of Alternative Technologies for Demilitarization of Assembled Chemical Weapons, National Research Council, 52 pages, 2000.Starr, B., "Iraq Reveals a Startling Range of Toxin Agents," Jane's Defence Weekly, Nov. 11 1995, p.4Korobeinichev, O. P., Shvartsberg, V. M.; Chernov, A. A., "The destruction chemistry of organophosphorus compounds in flames-II: structure of a hydrogen-oxygen flame doped with trimethyl phosphate," Combustion And Flame, Vol: 118, Issue: 4, pp. 727-732. KEYWORDS: Combustion, Toxic agent neutralization, chem/bio defense, remediation. DoD Notice: Between January 2 and February 28, 2001, you may talk directly with the DoD scientists and engineers who authored the solicitation topics, to ask technical questions about the topics. The Topic Author is listed in the box below. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed after February 28, 2001, when DoD begins accepting proposals under this solicitation. TPOC: Julian Tishkoff PHONE: 703-696-8478 EMAIL: julian.tishkoff@afosr.af.mil After February 28, 2001 proposers may still submit written questions about solicitation topics through the SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS). If you have general questions about DoD SBIR program, please contact the DoD SBIR Help Desk at (800) 382-4634 or email to SBIRHELP@teltech.com. NOTE: The Solicitations listed on this site are copies from the various SBIR agency solicitations and are not necessarily the latest and most up-to-date. For this reason, you should use the agency link listed below which will take you directly to the appropriate agency server where you can read the official version of this solicitation and download the appropriate forms and rules. The official link for this solicitation is: http://www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/sbir/sttr01/dod_sttr01.htm. DoD will begin accepting proposals on March 1, 2001. The solicitation closing date is April 11, 2001.