(568b) Viscoelastic Properties of Energetic Material Filled UV Photo Polymer Resins and Thermoplastic Feed Stock for the Additive Manufacturing of Gun Propulsion Charges

Additive manufacturing (AM), or commonly known as 3D printing, of various materials such as metals, thermoplastics and ceramics is growing in popularity as a practical and effective manufacturing method. This technology has blossomed over the past few decades and is starting to become cheaper and more available. Utilization of AM technology for the manufacture of gun propellants enables charge designers to realize very complex geometries in comparison to today's standards of gun propellants. The rheological properties of the materials for use in 3D printers is crucial for prototype development of propulsion charges. This paper will go over baseline rheological properties of both UV curable resins and thermoplastic binders for 3D printing. These materials will be loaded with nitramine filler in order to increase their energy content. The viscoelastic properties of the feed stock with energetic materials will drive the resolution and print quality of the prototype propulsion charges. This information will allow for material optimization related to diluents, viscosity modifiers while maintaining high energy density and the ability to 3D print samples.