Year: 2002
Type: article
Abstract: Electric matches are used in pyrotechnics to initiate devices electrically rather than by burning fuses. Fuses have the disadvantage of burning with a long delay before igniting a pyrotechnic device, while electric matches can instantaneously fire a device at a user's command. In addition, electric matches can be fired remotely at a safe distance. Unfortunately, most current commercial electric match compositions contain lead as thiocyanate, nitroresorcinate or tetroxide, which when burned, produces lead-containing smoke. This lead pollutant presents environmental exposure problems to cast, crew, and audience. The reason that these lead containing compounds are used as electric match compositions is that these mixtures have the required thermal stability, yet are simultaneously able to be initiated reliably by a very small thermal stimulus. A possible alternative to lead-containing compounds is nanoscale thermite materials (metastable intermolecular composites or MIC). These superthermite materials can be formulated to be extremely spark sensitive with tunable reaction rate and yield high temperature products. We have formulated and manufactured lead-free electric matches based on nanoscale Al/MoO{sub 3} mixtures. We have determined that these matches fire reliably and to consistently ignite a sample of black powder. Initial safety, ageing and performance results are presented in this paper.
Institution: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G1702950523, G2713861829, G797745481
OpenAlex ID: W41978180