Supercritical carbon dioxide processing of a pyrotechnic

The magnesium, Teflon and Viton (MTV) pyrotechnic ignition material has been produced at NSWC/IHD since the early 1950's using the Shock-Gel process. MTV crumb was prepared by slurrying magnesium and Teflon in an acetone solution of Viton, followed by drowning the mixture with hexane. Residual acetone was extracted from the MTV crumb with additional hexane washes. The hexane wet MTV crumb was oven dried, extruded and cut to length. The Shock-Gel process generates ten pounds of hazardous waste per pound of MTV produced. The new and improved method for MTV preparation was designated the Super-Shock process. In this process carbon dioxide replaces hexane as the antisolvent. The MTV crumb was extracted with SC-CO2 to remove, trace amounts of acetone thereby eliminating the need for drying prior to extrusion. The Super-Shock process generates essentially no hazardous waste because carbon dioxide, acetone and out of specification crumb were recycled.