Additively Manufactured Energetic and Explosive Materials Research

Additive manufacturing is the process of depositing or fusing material together in a layer‑by‑layer approach, typically in an engineered shape, formation, and/or mixture of materials. It is a disruptive technology that has exploded in popularity with the advent of low-cost and available printers, software applications, and thriving community support. Its application aimed at designing and developing the utility of energetic materials is a growing research field for which the U.S. government has a special interest. Energetic materials additive manufacturing (EMAM) provides the ability to quickly explore new energetic material formulations, shapes, structures, enclosures, and more. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Department of Energy, industry, and academic organizations are actively conducting research and making advancements in EMAM. Additionally, EMAM research and development are being conducted by international entities. Numerous government and academic institutions in Europe and Australia are making notable contributions in the field of EMAM. As such, this state-of-the-art report provides a survey of EMAM activities especially focused on application and interest to the DoD while also summarizing EMAM research in Europe and Australia.