Metal-fluorocarbon pyrolants. XIV: High density-high performance decoy flare compositions based on Ytterbium/Polytetrafluoroethylene/Viton®

Abstract

Three pyrotechnic compositions based on ytterbium /polytetrafluoroethylene/ Viton® (YTV) 77/18/5, 82/13/5 and 87/8/5 wt.-% were compared to a baseline magnesium /polytetrafluoroethylene/Viton® (MTV) 60/35/5 wt.-% composition. YTV though energetically inferior to MTV both gravimetrically and volumetrically exhibit a radiance L Î (W·sr -1·cm -2) superior to MTV in the important beta-band (Î = 3.5-4.6 μm). This is assumed to be due to the selective emissivity of Yb 2O 3 which is formed in the afterburning zone of YTV. The emissivity of Yb 2O 3 is 7-10 times higher than that of MgO in the same spectral range. Due to the high density of ytterbium and the formulations based thereon YTV are promising candidates for autophagous nose cones for kinematic blackbody flares. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.