Bispectral screening smokes are of interest to the U.S. Army due to the proliferation of thermal imaging, night vision, and thermal guided threats. Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are compounds consisting of metal ions coordinated to organic ligands. This coordination results in a stable porous structure. It is hypothesized that MOFs can be used to replace, supplement, or enhance components of pyrotechnic formulations in order to produce a visible/IR blocking smoke. To date no work has been done to explore using MOFs in obscuration. The structural components of MOFs are uniquely suited to smoke production since MOFs consist of a self-contained pyrotechnic mix, including a fuel (metal node) and oxidizer (ligand). UiO-66, a zirconium based MOF containing terephthalic acid (TA) ligands has been identified as a potential high performer for this study as it is composed of metal oxides and organic linkers whose visual obscuration properties are well characterized. Preliminary studies conducted using UiO-66 as a replacement for TA in the smoke formulation provided successful smoke production. It is surmised that functionalization of the MOF may result in binding to IR producing particles, influence formation of metal rods in the porous space, and/or decrease agglomeration. UV-Vis spectroscopy and other analytical aerosol techniques are used to quantify the obscuring properties of a MOF and composites.

Novel synthesis of bispectral obscurant smoke

255th National Meeting (2018)

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