The objective of this SON is to develop innovative and scalable synthetic approaches of nitration to form energetic molecules of interest to the Department of War (DoW) that significantly reduces the amount of mixed acid (sulfuric and nitric acids) waste and enable continuous reaction to form the targeted energetic molecules. Proposals should address various considerations:
- Nitration to form a DoW relevant energetic, including nitrate esters such as nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin, aromatic nitro species such as TNT and DNAN, or nitramines, such as RDX, HMX, or CL-20.
- Hypothesize alternative acids or chemical synthesis methods to enable high levels of nitration with low amounts of acid waste.
- Identify byproducts to ensure the alternative process is viable.
- Characterization of the resulting energetic material to ensure purity and proper morphology.
- Evaluation of the energetic properties to ensure the process produces equivalent energetic molecules relative to batch nitration using homogeneous mixed acids.
- It is known that use of solvents allows for reduction of acid content. Thus, proposed processes that use a solvent should be compared to current solvent-based synthesis. In addition, contamination of the solvent with acid and degradation of the solvent from the acid should be addressed to enable high levels of solvent recycling in the process.
- Proposed technologies should minimize or eliminate the use of TSCA-restricted chemicals and CERCLA hazardous substances.1
Proposals should include a plan to conduct a preliminary Life Cycle Analysis2 (LCA) to help indicate the life cycle cost benefit associated with the proposed process relative to current processes. Proposals should establish a life cycle framework that can mature as the technology or process advances through the development and acquisition processes. This tiered approach aims to develop and document a minimum data set at each stage of research and development that can be used to make informed decisions and streamline transition to an acquisition program. The LCA may include varying depths of data and information that can inform: the goal and scope of an analysis; the identity and quantity of relevant inputs and outputs to the system; and the estimation of life cycle impacts and costs. A preliminary LCA would help indicate the cost benefit associated with the proposed process relative to current processes. Any proposals that do not include an LCA should provide a reason for exclusion.
Given the subject matter, all proposal teams must have appropriate licenses/approvals to work with explosives. It is also possible that a proposal to this SON will contain CUI or information that SERDP will treat as CUI. However, to enable proposal review from the scientific community, the proposal should not include CUI or information that SERDP will treat as CUI. If it is necessary to include CUI or information that SERDP will treat as CUI, an addendum document should be provided that includes the relevant CUI for the SERDP Office to review. In those cases, the SERDP Office will appropriately mark the document to ensure protection of the CUI from public release and enable review by other federal representatives and SERDP designated subject matter experts for the express purpose of facilitating peer review or scientific/technical assessment of this proposal. Information should be kept at the Distribution C level to enable review by other federal representatives, while Distribution D will be accommodated if necessary. Distributions B and E and classified proposals will not be accepted. As an alternative to Distribution C or D, the following Distribution F authorization may be acceptable: Distribution authorized to SERDP and their designated support contractors; employees of other federal agencies and their designated support contractors; and SERDP designated subject matter experts for the express purpose of facilitating peer review or scientific/technical assessment of this proposal. SERDP must ensure all personnel being provided this document meet eligibility criteria to access and protect CUI.
Use of homogenous acids requires expensive reactors to prevent rapid corrosion. Large amounts of acid waste require significant amounts of base to treat the waste. Mixed acid waste containing sulfuric acid produces significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide, which is hazardous and poses significant challenges in processing the acid waste. Batch processing of energetics is slow relative to continuous processing and is a dynamic process requiring diligent controls to prevent accidents. Thus, an alternative process to reduce mixed acid usage and enable continuous processing will reduce cost, improve safety, and reduce undesirable production byproducts in support of the National Defense Industrial Strategy3.
Manufacturing of explosives and propellants is performed at Radford Army Ammunition Plant and Holston Army Ammunition Plant. Nitrations are performed in batch reactions that are controlled by the operators to safely maximize production of the desired energetic material.
The reaction process uses mixed nitric acid and sulfuric acid in large excess to maximize energetic material conversion. The most important explosives and propellants used by the DoW have multiple nitrate, nitrate ester, or nitramine functionality per molecule. It is well known that achieving the high levels of nitration of these explosives and propellants is much more difficult, requiring higher acid contents and temperatures and longer reaction times relative to molecules with lower nitration levels.
The cost and time to meet the requirements of this SON are at the discretion of the proposer. Proposers submitting a Standard or Limited Scope Proposal must provide the rationale for the proposed scale. The two options are as follows:
Standard Proposals: These proposals describe a complete research effort. The proposer should incorporate the appropriate time, schedule, and cost requirements to accomplish the scope of work proposed. SERDP projects normally run from two to five years in length and vary considerably in cost consistent with the scope of the effort. It is expected that most proposals will fall into this category.
Limited Scope Proposals: Proposers with innovative approaches to the SON that entail high technical risk or have minimal supporting data may submit a Limited Scope Proposal for funding up to $350,000 and approximately one year in duration. Such proposals may be eligible for follow-on funding if they result in a successful initial project. The objective of these proposals should be to acquire the data necessary to demonstrate proof-of-concept or reduction of risk that will lead to development of a future Standard Proposal. Proposers should submit Limited Scope Proposals in accordance with the SERDP Core Solicitation instructions and deadlines.
John La Scala, Ph.D.
Program Manager for Weapons Systems and Platforms
Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
