SBIR-STTR Award

This is a proposal to investigate the environmental implications of the use of alloys of tungsten/tantalum with other metals (e.g. cobalt) in warhead/penetrator designs. The primary objectives are to (1) investigate and characterize the alloys of interest to the DOD so that potential environmental source terms can be defined and (2) identify the potential short-term and long-term environmental implications of the use of these alloys. Definition of the potential environmental source terms will require some prediction of the corrosion behavior of the alloys of interest in typical surface environments. The delineation of potential short and long-term environmental implications will involve characterization of the fate and transport of metals of concern in surface environments and evaluation of exposure pathways and transfer factors.

Keywords:
Tungsten Ordinance Environmental Pathways Tantalum Corrosion Fate And Transport Toxicity

This is a proposal to investigate the environmental effects of the use of alloys of tungsten/tantalum/nickel/cobalt/iron in warhead/penetrator designs. The primary objectives are to (1) measure the dissolution behavior of the alloys and the solubilities of the metals contained in the alloys in near-surface waters and the sorption behavior of the metals in surface soils, (2) develop models for the dissolution behavior, solubility behavior and sorption behavior of the alloys and metals in soils, (3) perform risk assessments for the dispersal of the alloys on testing ranges in both short-term and long-term time frames and (4) develop a database on the behavior of the metals contained in the alloys in the surficial environment and the potential environmental effects of the production and use of the alloys.

Keywords:
Tungsten Ordinance Environmental Pathways Tantalum Corrosion Fate And Transport Toxicity