(568d) MgB2/Fluoropolymer Filament and Pyrolant Combustion Studies

^aSouth Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Department of Material Science and Engineering, Rapid City, SD, US

^bSouth Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rapid City, SD, US

*corresponding author email: lori.groven@sdsmt.edu

Magnesium diboride has been shown to be an excellent fuel in combination with sodium iodate for biocide formulations, but little work has been reported as a pyrolant and more specifically for the development of an energetic filament. Magnesium diboride is a hard ceramic fuel that is a viable replacement for metal fuels, such as aluminum, in energetic formulations. A fluoropolymer binder, THV, will be used to develop printed traces and structures for the combustion study. In this work, two methods were used to assess the role of MgB₂ interacting with the binder. First, a reactive filament at different ratios of MgB₂/THV was formulated using a Filabot extruder. Second, comparable mixtures were also made and printed using a solvent based ink approach. Fuel to oxidizer ratios of MgB₂ to THV binder (30/70, 40/60, 50/50, 60/40, and 70/30) are studied and compared. It is shown that MgB₂ performs on par with micron sized aluminum in these formulations and provides enhanced structural characteristics when used in printed structures. Printed structures with different geometries using a commercial Lulzbot Taz6 printer will also be discussed.