REACTIVE COMPOSITE MATERIAL STRUCTURES WITH ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE PROTECTION AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF

摘要

Applicants have discovered that electrostatic discharge (ESD) may, in some circumstances, result in current densities sufficient to ignite unprotected reactive composite materials. They have further discovered that a reactive composite material (RCM) can be protected from ESD ignition without adversely affecting the desirable properties of the RCM by the application of conducting and/or insulating materials at appropriate locations on the RCM. Thus ESD-protected RCM structures can be designed for such sensitive applications as ignition of propellants, generation of light bursts, and structural materials for equipment that may require controlled self-destruction.