(526f) Boron Carbide As a Fuel for Printable Biocidal Inks

Boron carbide is typically considered a cheap and readily available abrasive; however, it can also be used as a ceramic fuel in pyrotechnic applications. For example, Shaw et al. recently demonstrated its use in a time delay formulation in combination with sodium periodate. This system is also interesting as a potential biocide where the limitations of aluminum can be overcome (more favorable aging and chemistry). In this work, we build upon our previous efforts focused on printable biocides and examine the role of boron carbide on the combustion and total iodine generation when combined with a suitable fluoropolymer binder and as fuel/oxidizer. It was observed that polymer content as low as 10% will result in printable formulations. Iodine generation was found to be higher than Al based formulations and enhanced with the presence of the binder. Bomb Calorimetry under both inert (heat of reaction) and air (heat of combustion) atmosphere are investigated to shed light on its effect on the end products. Simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry and thermo-gravimetric analyses (DSC/TGA) were performed to explain the interactions between the polymer, iodate, and boron carbide. Rheological properties of the biocidal ink and combustion characteristics of the printed formulations will also be presented in detail.