Explosive composition and process with rheology modifying agent

Claim 2

A slurry explosive composition which comprises at least one inorganic oxidizing salt, a liquid solvent disperser or carrier for said salt, fuel material, and 0.001% to 3% by weight of a rheology modifying agent in the form of fibrous material the fibres of which are thread-like bodies or filaments that at least in part comprise or can be derived from material selected from the group consisting of animal tissue, vegetable tissue, resinous material, polymeric material and minerals, and the ratio of the longitudinal dimension to the transverse dimension of said fibres being at least 10:1.

Claim 3

A composition according to claim 1 wherein the said fibrous material is derived from material in which the ratio of the longitudinal dimension to the transverse dimension is in a range from 10:1 to 1000:1.

Claim 4

A composition according to claim 1 wherein the said fibrous material has a length in a range from 0.5 to 30 millimeters.

Claim 5

A composition according to claim 1 wherein the said fibrous material is derived from a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, polyolefines, polyurethanes and polyacrylonitriles.

Claim 6

A composition according to claim 4 wherein the said fibrous material is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 66, poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene) and poly(acrylonitrile).

Claim 7

A composition according to claim 1 wherein the said fibrous material is derived from material selected from the group consisting of asbestos, glass and refractory oxides.

Claim 8

A composition according to claim 6 wherein the said refractory oxide is selected from the group consisting of alumina and zirconia.

Claim 9

A composition according to claim 1 wherein the said fibrous material is derived from cellulose.

Claim 10

A composition according to claim 1 wherein the said fibrous material constitutes from 0.001 to 2% w/w of the said composition.

Claim 11

A composition according to claim 1 wherein the said fibrous material constitutes from 0.1 to 0.6% w/w of the said composition.

Claim 12

A composition according to claim 1 wherein the said salt is selected from the group consisting of the perchlorates and nitrates of the alkali metals, the alkaline earth metals and ammonium and constitutes from 30 to 90% w/w of the said composition; the said liquid solvent, disperser or carrier constitutes from 3 to 60% w/w of the said composition; the said fuel material is selected from organic water soluble substances which constitute from 0.5 to 10% w/w of the said composition, water insoluble and sparingly water soluble materials which constitute from 1 to 10% w/w of the said composition, and metallic water insoluble materials which constitute up to 25% w/w of the said composition; and the said thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of galactomannan gums, xanthan gums and polymeric materials derived from acrylamide and constitutes from 0.1 to 3% w/w of the said composition.

Claim 13

A composition according to claim 11 wherein the said salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate and ammonium nitrate and constitutes from 60 to 85% w/w of the said composition; the said liquid solvent is water and constitutes from 3 to 25% of the said composition; the said fuel material is selected from organic water soluble substances which constitute from 4 to 7% w/w of the said composition, water insoluble and sparingly water soluble materials which constituted constitute 4 to 7% w/w of the said composition, and metallic powders which constitute from 0.5 to 20% w/w of the said composition; and the said thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of guar gum, hydroxypropylguar gum, locust bean gum, biopolymeric material derived from Xanthomonas campestris and copolymeric material containing a major proportion of polyacrylamide and constitutes from 0.3 to 1.5% w/w of the said composition.

Claim 14

A process for the manufacture of a slurry explosive composition which process comprises forming an explosive mixture comprising at least one inorganic oxidizing salt, a liquid solvent disperser or carrier for said salt, fuel material, and to said mixture adding 0.001% to 3% w/w of the said composition of material which is formed of fibres the said fibres having a ratio of longitudinal dimension to transverse dimension of at least 10:1 and being thread-like bodies or filaments that at least in part comprise or can be derived from material selected from the group consisting of animal tissue, vegetable tissue, resinous material, polymeric material and minerals and incorporating said fibrous material into said composition in a manner such that the rheological properties of the said composition are modified.

Claim 15

A process for the manufacture of a slurry explosive composition which process comprises forming an explosive mixture comprising at least one inorganic oxidizing salt, a liquid solvent disperser or carrier for said salt, fuel material, and to said mixture adding 0.001% to 3% w/w of the said composition of material which is formed of fibres the said fibres having a ratio of longitudinal dimension to transverse dimension of at least 10:1 and being thread-like bodies or filaments that at least in part comprise or can be derived from material selected from the group consisting of animal tissue, vegetable tissue, resinous material, polymeric material and minerals and incorporating said fibrous material into said composition in a manner such that the rheological properties of the said composition are modified.

Claim 16

A composition as in claim 1 containing at least one thickening agent.

Claim 17

A composition as in claim 14 wherein said thickening agent is a crosslinked thickening agent.