OUSD (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Hypersonics; Space Technology; Advanced Materials The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Design, develop and demonstrate a pilot-production method (~1 kg) for synthesizing precursor material(s) and/or input material(s) for CL-20 production that can scale up to 500 kg with a reduction in material price point. Showcase the ability to control purity, particle size, and crystal morphology (if applicable) for each material generated through synthetic techniques such as nitration, polymerization, or recrystallization. Developed processes shall be capable of purifying materials from sub-quality feedstocks and produce precursor materials with sufficient yields or reduced cost. DESCRIPTION: Energetic materials are multi-use materials used in private industry, recreational sport, and military applications. Explosives are typically produced at a large-scale, where industrial production facilities range from a couple of pounds to millions of pounds of material each year. Explosives are usually separated by classes (particle granulation sizes) and are produced in accordance with various material specifications that include purity, particle size distributions, and morphology. Since WWII, the US energetics community has relied on a handful of materials as the cornerstones of its explosive arsenal. Combining the high-quality performance metrics of legacy materials, the current existing infrastructure, and their inexpensive production cost, it is logical as to why the energetic community continues to turn to these materials. Despite increases in performance compared to legacy energetic materials, the explosive CL-20 has struggled to mature into practical use in US propulsion technology. Various factors, such as complex synthesis pathways, difficult to source precursor/input materials, demanding reaction conditions, difficult purification methods, or limited infrastructure has limited CL-20's ability to achieve a footing in the US industrial base. As a result, the same fuel sources have continued to be the go-to choice for US propulsion technologies as fuels leveraging modern CL-20 continue to economically fall short of legacy materials, limiting the business case to mature modern materials. To invest in maturing modern propulsion technologies, this proposal seeks possible partners that are able to develop production techniques for yield, purity, morphology control for precursor/input materials of CL-20. Maturation of precursor/input materials will not only affect the overall synthesis of the energetic but will reduce the cost to manufacture CL-20, possibly becoming competitive with legacy propulsion energetics on the large scale. With a more defined, cost effective, and commercially viable production pathway for CL-20 precursors/input materials, the propulsion community may begin to develop novel formulations leveraging this higher performing nitramine material. This topic seeks to fund proposals that can develop robust synthetic routes with reduced production cost of CL-20 precursors and/or input materials. PHASE I: In the last 40 years, CL-20 has historically been up to 10x the cost of legacy explosives, causing manufacturers to have little desire to mature this chemical into a cornerstone manufacturing material. However, because CL-20 was developed in up to 40 years ago, extensive research and development into its synthesis optimization and various synthesis pathways has been investigated. The precursor/input materials required for synthesis are well known and mature, but few have expanded on optimizing these materials to large-scale production due to their poor economical return at the production scale. However, with a new demand for higher performing nitramines, the economical reason to further mature CL-20 precursor/input materials have taken shape. To capitalize on the increased performance of CL-20, with a known precursor/input material base, a focused effort must be made to further mature their development into large production. As this is a Direct to Phase II (D2P2) SBIR, proposers should provide evidence showing that their technology is mature enough for D2P2. Evidence should stem from previous experimental data generating nitrated precursor/input materials or other high-performance nitramines with a maturity level near ready pilot-scale production. PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate one or more pilot-scale processes for CL-20 precursor/input material production. Production pathways should exhibit polymorph control (if applicable) and narrow particle size distribution and control along with high purity of precursor/input material generated. Additionally, the process should factor in scalability, limited operator exposure, hazardous waste generation, and show process control measures such as solvent recycling. The process should be applicable to large-scale chemical manufacturing environments and showcase an ability to decease production costs. CL-20 precursor/input materials must be shipped to a DoD customer lab for further evaluation of product quality. Phase 2 deliverables will mature precursor/input material synthesis to a technology readiness level of 4-5, demonstrating the ability to manufacture prototype material in a production relevant environment. The phase will conclude with a full technical data package and transition plan that documents synthetic procedures and achieves consistent reproducibility and cost reduction over current industry processes. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: One or more of the processes developed in Phase 2 should be transitioned and scaled to production capacity. These processes will demonstrate the ability to control purity, polymorph (if applicable), and particle size distributions of the precursor/input materials chosen. The precursor/input material should also be taken through the rest of the synthesis pathway to demonstrate the ability to produce energetic materials. The input material process from Phase III should be scalable and transition-able to integrate into full-rate chemical production plants. The processes delivered will diminish the production risk and manufacturing cost to meet potential energetic or propellant production surge demand. The Phase III activity should mature the Phase II production methodology of precursor/input material to technology readiness level of 7-8 to demonstrate the ability to establish a Pilot line that can begin full rate production of selected precursor materials. At the conclusion of the research activity, there will be infrastructure and technology investments in place that can consistently manufacture high performance nitramine precursors through CONUS sources to feed into production lines. REFERENCES: 1. Nielsen, A, et al. J. Org. Chem. 1990, 55, 1459 1466.; 2. Peng, C, et al. Chin. J. Explosives & Propellants. 2022, 45, 3, 290-299.; 3. Bayat, Y., Taheripouya, G., Zeynali, V., Azizkhani, V. J. Energetic Materials. 2023. 1-35.; KEYWORDS: Precursor; energetic material; nitramine; explosives; chemical production; synthesis optimization; cost reduction
