HDTRA1-19-S-0003 MSEE URA BAA Final Draft Feb2019.pdf

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 1

DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT

HDTRA1-19-S-0003

DRAFT February 2019

Research and Development Directorate (RD)

Chief Scientist and Innovation Department (RD-ST)

Materials Science in Extreme Environments University Research Alliance

(MSEE-URA)

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION NO. PAGE NO.

OVERVIEW INFORMATION

ADDITIONAL OVERVIEW INFORMATION

1. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

2. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

6. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

7. AGENCY CONTACTS

8. OTHER INFORMATION

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OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Agency Name:

Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Research and Development (RD) Directorate Chief Scientist and Innovation Department (ST) 8725 John J. Kingman Road, MS 6201 Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201 Funding Opportunity Title: DRAFT of the Materials Science in Extreme Environments University Research Alliance (MSEE-URA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Announcement Type: This is the draft announcement of this funding opportunity.

Funding Opportunity Number: HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 12.351 Dates: This BAA is in effect from the final posting date through September 2019. Phase I pre-proposal submissions are due 60 days following the publishing date of the final BAA.

ADDITIONAL OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Purpose: DTRA is seeking to develop the capability to understand material properties and associated mechanisms in various extreme environments that may lead to future exploitation.

The approach is to realize a materials and properties capability by establishing a new University Research Alliance (URA) focused on Materials Science in Extreme Environments (MSEE). The focus of the MSEE-URA will be to advance the fundamental understanding of various material properties and mechanisms in non-equilibrium high pressure, high temperature, and high photon number regimes.

The foundational problem to be addressed by the MSEE-URA is the lack of knowledge and predictive modeling capability for various material classes and their associated formation/decomposition mechanisms within harsh Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)-related environments. That lack of knowledge poses a challenge in the ability to control and exploit future material-WMD interactions. To address this problem, the MSEE-URA seeks proposals focusing on understanding, controlling, characterizing, and predicting interactions of materials in extreme pressure, temperature, and optical environments.

A wide range of WMD-relevant environments are of interest including: conventional fireballs, nuclear fireballs, photon-induced blow-off, plasmas, and warm dense matter. These environments are challenging not only due to the temperatures, pressures, and energies involved, but also the rapid evolution of the environments and the need to model across multiple time, energy, and physical time scales. Limited experimental testing opportunities and diagnostics adds to the challenge of understanding material responses in these extreme environments. A comprehensive integrated and collaborative approach is required to make progress on these challenges.

Fundamental studies of materials in harsh, WMD relevant environments including physical properties of several material classes, materials engineering, and high temperature (plasma) chemistry, are vital to understanding material-WMD interactions in relevant environments. A successful program will demonstrate a comprehensive capability to address materials and their

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 4 associated physical and engineering properties, as well as chemical mechanisms within relevant and harsh regimes. The four research areas for the MSEE-URA are as follows and include possible desired research outcomes (shown as sub-bullets, a. b, c) within those four research areas.

• Material Properties and Failure – (a) Produce materials constitutive models and failure models applicable at fast rates (102 – 106 s-1) for hard rock and cementitious materials,;

(b) Experimentally identify material properties contributing to sensitivity of energetics and composite materials (including reactives and additively manufactured materials); (c) Identify material property/numerical sources of uncertainty and sensitivities for nuclear models.

• Materials Development and Manufacturing for Synergistic Effects - (a) Develop structure-function-property relationships of additively manufactured reactive materials, additive manufacturing of multifunctional nanocomposites, ignition/combustion, dynamic imaging of post combustion fields; (b) Fabricate multifunctional shielding materials that incorporate electromagnetic pulse (EMP) shielding while maintaining other requirements such as weight, cost, ballistic protection, ionizing radiation protection; (c) Identify combinations of energetics/non-energetic materials that produce synergistic effects and/or identify material properties that may lend well to tailored performance.

• Chemistry in Extreme Environments - (a) Construct validation models that predict nuclear fireball behavior in complex urban environments and identify fundamental experimental measurements that could improve models. (b) Develop high temperature/high heating rate chemical mechanisms and associated Arrhenius kinetic models for low vapor pressure organophosphorous species.

• Photon-Material Interactions - (a) Improve understanding and predictive models of X-ray energy deposition, material blow-off, and plasma generation and evolution for ensuring the survivability of space solar arrays and strategic systems; (b) Improve models, materials, and approaches for utilizing direct laser impulse testing to simulate blow-off impulse of strategic systems; (c) Identify conditions for onset of optical ignition/pyrolysis of reactive materials, composites, and organophosphorous species and determine decomposition pathways (of same species) via optically controlled parameters (e.g.

wavelength, pulse length, phase control, etc.).

The MSEE-URA is intended to create a collaborative environment that enables an Alliance to advance the state of the art and assist with the transition of research to enhance and predict with confidence the performance of materials of interest to DTRA. DTRA believes that the establishment of the MSEE-URA in conjunction with robust internal mission programs, provides the optimum path to success.

It is anticipated that the predominance of work conducted by the MSEE-URA will be fundamental research as defined in National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 189, National Policy on the Transfer of Scientific, Technical, and Engineering Information. Initially the research conducted by the MSEE-URA will align under Budget Category 6.1 (Basic Research) funding. However, to provide the Government with the most flexibility, the cooperative agreement (CA) will also allow participation from other Government agencies and may result in

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 5 additional Budget Category 6.1 funding as well as some Budget Category 6.2 funding (Applied Research funding; see discussion of Enhanced Program in Section 1.6). Thus, the research conducted for the MSEE-URA will fall within the first four Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).

It is envisioned that the results (materials, models, etc.) of the MSEE-URA research will be efficiently and rapidly transitioned to applied DTRA research and development programs.

Award Instrument and Structure: This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is expected to result in the award of a CA as defined at 31 United States Code (U.S.C.) 6305 for the execution of the program. The CA will be awarded to an Alliance of United States (U.S.)-based organizations that may include U.S. institutions of higher education, Department of Defense (DoD)-Degree Granting Colleges and Universities, DoD Service Labs, U.S. industrial partners, and/or U.S. non-profit organizations. At this time, performance under the CA is not limited to individuals designated as U.S. Persons; however, individual participation could be limited in the future based on DoD policy changes.

The Alliance must be led by a U.S. institution of higher education charged with spearheading the focused basic research program. This organization will be designated as the Lead Research Organization (LRO). Each Research Area (RA) will be led by a different U.S.-based institution of higher education that will be designated as the Lead Research Area Organization (LRAO).

One of the LRAOs could also be the LRO; however, the same entity cannot be the LRAO for more than one RA. Together the LRO and LRAOs make up the permanent Alliance members, who are responsible for shaping and steering the URA through collaboration with DTRA.

Collectively the URA members and DTRA make-up the Consortium. Performance under the URA and resulting CA will likely also include organizations beyond the LRAOs as subawardees to the LRO. These subawardees are non-permanent members of the URA.

Alliances are encouraged to include Historically Black Colleges and Universities (as determined by the Secretary of Education to meet requirements of Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended, 20 U.S.C. § 1061) and from Minority Institutions defined as institutions “whose enrollment of a single minority or a combination of minorities…exceeds 50 percent of the total enrollment,” 20 U.S.C. § 1067k(3).

While DTRA anticipates that a single award may be made from this BAA, the Government reserves the right to fund all, some, or none of the proposals submitted; may elect to fund only part of any or all proposals; and may incrementally fund any or all awards under this BAA. The Government also reserves the right to request applicants make any changes necessary to documents submitted as part of an application package to increase the feasibility of making the proposal fundable. Applicants may decline to participate in any revisions to application packages requested by DTRA.

Proposal Submission: The BAA will be conducted in two phases. Phase I is for receipt and evaluation of pre-proposal submissions. Phase II is for receipt and evaluation of invited proposal packages. Invitation to submit a Phase II proposal will be based on the evaluation results of the Phase I pre-proposal submission.

All submissions must be made in accordance with the submission instructions in this BAA through www.grants.gov using the application packages linked with this BAA (under the “Package” tab) on www.grants.gov. Applicants are responsible for ensuring compliant and final http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 6 submission of all applications. Any submission that does not conform to the requirements outlined in the BAA and in the invitation for Phase II submissions may not be reviewed or considered further at the discretion of DTRA.

Period of Performance: Efforts may be proposed for five years with two additional two year options. The total possible period of performance is nine years.

Funding: The CA may range from $5M to $7M annually (total, including both direct and indirect costs) depending on the nature and the scope of work. This BAA is issued subject to the availability of funds. The funding levels provided are to allow applicants to prepare estimates only. Payments on CAs will be made in advance, subject to the conditions described in 2 Code Federal Regulations (CFR) 200.305.

Profit/Fee: In accordance with 32 CFR §22.205, profit/fee is not permitted under the CA.

Cost Sharing: Cost sharing is not required under this BAA; however, efforts that include cost sharing or in kind contributions are allowed.

Terms and Conditions of Awards: Any CA awarded under this announcement will be governed by the award terms and conditions, which conform to DoD's implementation of The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circulars applicable to financial assistance. This includes DoD implementation of OMB guidance in 2 CFR part 200, "Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards."

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1. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1.1. Introduction

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) safeguards America and its allies from weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and provides capabilities to reduce, eliminate, and counter the threat and effects from chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives. DTRA seeks to identify, adopt, and adapt emerging, existing and revolutionary sciences that may demonstrate high payoff potential to Counter-WMD (C-WMD) threats. As a combat support agency, DTRA provides both operational support and specialized capabilities in science and technology (S&T). The Agency is the premier Department of Defense (DoD) source of science-based WMD expertise and a sponsor of basic research focused exclusively on WMD threat reduction.

Regarding the current WMD threat environment, the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) states, “Nevertheless, global threat conditions have worsened markedly since the most recent, 2010 NPR. There now exist an unprecedented range and mix of threats, including major conventional, chemical, biological, nuclear, space, and cyber threats, and violent non-state actors. International relations are volatile. Russia and China are contesting the international norms and order we have worked with our allies, partners, and members of the international community to build and sustain. Some regions are marked by persistent disorder that appears likely to continue and possibly intensify. These developments have produced increased uncertainty and risk, demanding a renewed seriousness of purpose in deterring threats and assuring allies and partners.”

Overcoming the most difficult technical challenges for combatting WMD requires revolutionary advancements in S&T. Only strategic investment in basic research will lead to the scientific breakthroughs needed for future WMD threat reduction. The strategy for the basic research program is to target unique C-WMD challenges within DTRA’s mission space. The program’s goals are as follows:

• Train the next-generation workforce;

• Advance the fundamental knowledge and understanding in the sciences;

• Promote university research to support WMD threat reduction; and

• Facilitate transition of research that enables new capabilities for the warfighter.

The program avoids preconceptions about specific applications or solutions in order to preserve the integrity of basic research. However, to maintain the relevance of the program to the larger DTRA mission and to ensure focus on the strategic goal of transitioning the research to enable new capabilities for the warfighter, the applied research requirements across the Agency are used to inform our choices. This approach has successfully attracted outstanding research institutions and a new generation of scientists into the field of WMD threat reduction. It also provides a hedge against the uncertainty of future threats and technology surprise.

To continue and expand on the program’s success to date, DTRA is evolving the investment strategy for basic research. DTRA intends to establish a new collaborative venture that seeks to investigate Materials Science in Extreme Environments (MSEE) in the context of future WMD-relevant operations through a new University Research Alliance (URA) that will consist of United States (U.S.) university researchers working to solve complex problems. The overall

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 8 objective is to develop the fundamental understanding of material properties and mechanisms in extreme pressure, temperature, and optical regimes. A better understanding of these materials and the related environments may enable future materials and modeling solutions.

DTRA strongly believes that a joint collaborative approach by multidisciplinary researchers is required to make fundamental advances towards meeting the MSEE-URA goal to develop a fundamental understanding of materials response in extreme conditions (e.g., pressure, temperature, etc.) and enhance our ability to predict or exploit their response. DTRA has identified four interrelated Research Areas (RAs) that when jointly studied will advance the theoretical foundations of MSEE-URA in the context of future operations.

• RA1—Material Properties and Failure,

• RA2—Materials and Manufacturing for Synergistic Effects,

• RA3—Chemistry in Extreme Environments, and

• RA4—Photon-Material Interactions.

In addition to these four RAs, the area of Modeling and Diagnostics has been identified as a Cross Cutting Research Initiative (CCRI) that is inherent in each of the RAs and that must be jointly studied with the RAs to make fundamental advances in MSEE-URA.

The MSEE-URA is intended to create a collaborative environment that enables the Alliance to advance the state-of-the-art and to take advantage of the diverse scientific capabilities and viewpoints of both the academic sector and government personnel. The MSEE-URA will work collaboratively with DTRA Technical Points of Contact (TPOCs) to develop research programs and identify areas where joint, multi-disciplinary, collaborative research is advantageous.

Continuous collaboration through technical exchanges, site visits, student development, etc. and outreach opportunities will strengthen and improve the MSEE-URA research and its DoD relevance.

As part of the URA, DTRA Program Managers (PMs)/scientists/engineers may have substantial involvement in performance, including engaging in deep and meaningful collaborative research across the URA team. In order to be prepared to address future and uncertain WMD threats, the formation of this URA follows in accordance with the 2018 National Defense Strategy for cultivating a more talented civilian workforce which states, “A modern, agile, information-advantaged Department requires a motivated, diverse, and highly skilled civilian workforce. We will emphasize new skills and complement our current workforce with information experts, data scientists, computer programmers, and basic science researchers and engineers—to use information, not simply manage it.”

1.2. Programmatic Strategy

The Cooperative Agreement (CA) will be awarded to an Alliance of organizations that may include U.S. institutions of higher education, DoD-Degree Granting Colleges and Universities, DoD Service Labs, U.S. industrial partners, and U.S. non-profit organizations.

The Alliance will work in collaboration with DTRA TPOCs to advance the state-of-the-art in MSEE to meet the challenges of future military operations. DTRA and the URA selected for award will establish the Consortium that will work collaboratively to conduct basic research addressing key scientific gaps and barriers critical to MSEE. Additionally, other government

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 9 agencies may participate in the MSEE-URA and contribute their technical expertise, personnel, and facilities. A significant goal of this effort will be to create a critical mass of collaborating scientists and engineers focused on the challenges outlined within the scope of the MSEE-URA.

This intellectual synergy is also expected to include sharing equipment, personnel, and facilities to promote efficiency and enhance collaboration.

It is anticipated that the predominance of work conducted by the MSEE-URA will be fundamental research, in accordance with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Memorandum, SUBJECT: Contracted Fundamental Research, dated 26 Jun 2008. Fundamental research is basic and applied research in science and engineering, the results of which ordinarily are published and shared broadly within the scientific community, as distinguished from proprietary research and from industrial development, design, production, and product utilization, the results of which ordinarily are restricted for proprietary or national security reasons. Contracted fundamental research includes research performed in the CA that is

(a) funded by Budget Category 6.1 (Basic Research), whether performed by universities or industry or (b) funded by Budget Category 6.2 (Applied Research) performed on-campus at a university. Fundamental research provides for S&T research and early applied development. It seeks to lower performance risk to a manageable level and facilitate transition and funding to capability end-state programs.

Initially the research conducted by the MSEE-URA will align under Budget Category 6.1 (Basic Research) funding. However, to provide the Government with the most flexibility, the CA will also allow participation from other Government agencies and may result in additional Budget Category 6.1 funding as well as some Budget Category 6.2 funding (Applied Research funding;

see discussion of Enhanced Program below). Thus, the research conducted under the MSEE- URA CA will fall within the first four Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). TRLs provide a systematic metric/measurement system that supports assessments of the maturity of a particular technology and the consistent comparison of maturity between different types of technology.

Based upon the gaps discussed below, the research and collaboration strategy developed by the applicant should adopt a systematic approach to fundamental research focused on materials and associated extreme environments phenomena so that techniques can be used to uncover hidden insights within meaningful events regimes which may be further manipulated to design and control for desired effects. Applicants must carefully choose research topics to ensure a critical mass of researchers addressing the challenges proposed. Applicants are expected to roughly apply resources to each of the four RAs as shown below:

• RA1—Material Properties and Failure (~15%),

• RA2—Materials and Manufacturing for Synergistic Effects (~25%),

• RA3—Chemistry in Extreme Environments (~35%),

• RA4—Photon-Material Interactions (~15%).

Research in each RA must not be stove-piped and must inform and be informed by the developments in the other three RAs given the strong inter-dependencies between the four RAs.

Further, a portion (~10%) of the research budget must address the CCRI of Modeling and Diagnostics. The CCRI resources are an integral part of the RA efforts.

This BAA aims to solicit the most creative, innovative, and flexible approaches to the ultimate

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 10 goal of generating and exploiting research to solve pressing research gaps and issues impacting both the military and commercial sectors. This BAA seeks Phase I pre-proposal submissions and invited Phase II submissions; this BAA may result in the award of a single CA. In response to the BAA, applicants will be required to:

• Define the strategy for implementing an approach which synergistically integrates the four RAs and the CCRI and outline the metrics by which success of the program is expected to be measured.

• Scope and define the research, appropriate to the overall funding of the URA, ensuring all elements of the proposed research are tightly integrated in a way that results of research in one area support and enhance the results in other areas. Applicants should identify the most critical research issues and describe how the set of research efforts meet the goals of this program. Sufficient resources should be allocated to ensure enough critical mass to make fundamental progress.

• Formulate a basic research program which clearly demonstrates innovative, detailed and substantive scientific plans to address each of the four RAs and the CCRI. The proposal should clearly articulate the applicant’s vision for the area and the applicant’s research goals for the program (the base period and for each additional option).

• Present the experience, qualifications and availability of the scientific staff and the quality and relevance of research facilities.

• Identify approaches to building collaborations within the Alliance and with DTRA, which are essential to the success of the MSEE-URA.

• Identify the overall management (business plan) and programmatic and administrative team with the expertise to achieve the stated research goals and to oversee and manage finances, reporting, data, meetings, reviews and intellectual property.

1.3. Research Strategy

DTRA seeks to develop an increased understanding of effects of WMD and C-WMD events on materials and the effects of those materials on the events. This includes both testing, characterization, and modeling of material as well as control and manipulation of materials to achieve the desired results. An enhanced understanding of fundamental properties may lead to significant advances for the warfighter. Fundamental studies of WMD related materials in harsh environments that include physical properties, materials synthesis/characterization/engineering, high temperature (plasma) chemistry, and high photon interactions with materials would be critical to understanding next generation weapons effects in future WMD relevant environments.

To address these challenges, DTRA’s approach is to establish a MSEE-URA to pursue research across four interrelated research areas (RAs) which bridge a number of mission sets. At a high level, MSEE seeks to better characterize the dynamic response of materials and their properties across various material classes (RA1). Similarly, MSEE needs to be able to explore new material combinations that can be engineered to provide a desired response, many times in harsh environments (RA2). Furthermore, some of these materials classes can be utilized to create harsh pressure, temperature environments containing WMD threat materials. Being able to understand the fundamental reaction routes and associated kinetics may lead to future material needs and better predictive capabilities of those material-threat interactions (RA3). Finally, a better understanding of fundamental material-photon interactions may lead to new capabilities in

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 11 those extreme photon environments and other high pressure, high temperature regimes (RA4).

Finally, there is a need for advanced diagnostics for measuring material properties and conditions as well as cross-domain models for predicting material property and the immediate surrounding environment that will inform all the RAs (Cross Cutting Research Initiative).

Figure 1 illustrates the general structure of the URA, the underlying RAs, and what possible research Focus Areas (FAs) would support the individual RAs (RA1-RA4). Specific FAs within these RAs may evolve over the lifetime of the URA. FAs shown in green should be addressed within the IPP of the proposal. If the remaining topic areas shown in blue are not addressed in the Initial Program Plan (IPP), then they will be expected to be addressed in the follow-on Bi-annual Program Plan (BPP).

MSEE-URA LRO

RA 1—LRAO 1

Material Properties and Failure (~15%)

RA 2—LRAO 2

Materials and

Manufacturing for Synergistic Effects

(~25%)

RA 3—LRAO 3

Chemistry in Extreme Environments (~35%)

Focus Area 1 Material Properties for Reducing Model

Uncertainty

Focus Area 2 Materials Constitutive

Models (Soil, Rock, Concrete)

Focus Area 3 Materials Properties of EM and AMEMs

Focus Area 1 Multimodal Shielding

Focus Area 2 Tailoring Chemistry via

Materials

Focus Area 3 Characterize and Predict Physical/

Chemical Effects in Turbulent

Environments

Focus Area 1 Nuclear Fireball

Plasma Chemistry

Focus Area 2 High Temperature

Properties and Chemistry of Agents and Simulants

Materials Science in Extreme Environments (MSEE)-

UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ALLIANCE (URA)

Permanent Alliance

Members

Cross Cutting Research Initiative—Modeling and Diagnostics (~10%)

RA 4—LRAO 4

Photon-Material

Interactions (~15%)

Focus Area 1 X-Ray Induced Blow

Off and Plasma

Focus Area 2 Direct Laser Impulse

Focus Area 3 Laser-Matter

Interactions with RM and Simulants

Figure 1: General structure of the MSEE-URA.

An expanded discussion of the FAs which would support the overarching research areas is included below.

RA1—Material Properties and Failure

RA1—FA1: Material Properties for Reducing Model Uncertainty With the cessation of nuclear testing, high-fidelity computational modeling is a main mechanism

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 12 in supporting the nuclear deterrent through nuclear surety. Models and above ground simulators are also critical for assuring the nuclear survivability of DoD systems. Model results are sensitive to the underlying assumptions, solution method, initial conditions, and input data (e.g.

material properties) which ultimately dictate the output quality and uncertainty levels. All of these factors contribute to the model result uncertainty at different times, magnitudes, and conditions further complicating and lowering result confidence.

MSEE seeks basic research into these computational factors that drive model and result uncertainty. Determining where the highest uncertainties exist and their overall effects on model fidelity is of interest to provide effective, focused, and high-impact material property and computational modeling research. Computational method shortfalls can also be considered and include, but are not limited to: numerical instabilities, material boundary instabilities, meshing and space discretization issues, assumptions, and competing/coupling of selected physics models. Of interest to the topic are materials in warm dense matter regimes and equations of state of non-heterogeneous materials.

MSEE also seeks to make experimental measurements for the material properties and conditions that are currently driving model uncertainty. Material properties of interest include, but are not limited to: equations-of-state (EOS), strengths, opacities, instabilities, and other kinetics properties used in computational modeling. Because experimental diagnostics for investigating material properties can be limited, basic research of new measurement methods and equipment are also welcomed.

RA1—FA1 References:

Colgan, J., Kilcrease, D. P., Magee, N. H., Sherrill, M. E., Abdallah Jr, J., Hakel, P., Guzik, J. A.,Mussack, K. A.

(2016). A new generation of Los Alamos opacity tables. The Astrophysical Journal, 817(2), 116.

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4975741

Guymer, T. M., Moore, A. S., Morton, J., Kline, J. L., Allan, S., Bazin, N., Benstead, J., Flippo, K. (2015).

Quantifying equation-of-state and opacity errors using integrated supersonic diffusive radiation flow experiments on the National Ignition Facility. Physics of Plasmas, 22(4), 043303. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4919025

Hu, S. X., Collins, L. A., Goncharov, V. N., Kress, J. D., Boehly, T. R., Epstein, R., Skupsky, S. (2016, May). First-principles studies on the equation of state, thermal conductivity, and opacity of deuterium-tritium (DT) and polystyrene (CH) for inertial confinement fusion applications. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 717, No. 1, p. 012064). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/717/1/012064.

RA1—FA2: Material Constitutive Models (Soil, Rock, Concrete) Offensive Counter-WMD operations currently rely on air-dropped ordnance that must penetrate or otherwise gain entry into WMD locations, which are frequently protected in underground or hardened storage facilities. As a result, Counter-WMD events occur at high strain rates (102-106 s-1) where physical changes can take place on sub-microsecond time scales. Penetration, gaining entry to the WMD target, and weapon-target interactions (WTI) necessarily involve a wide variety of highly-heterogeneous materials under high dynamic loading conditions.

WMD-defeating systems are designed by using engineering hydrocodes that simulate weapon effects and WTI. The hydrocodes can produce accurate simulations only if high-fidelity constitutive material models are incorporated. Predicting the penetration trajectory of a weapon in concrete and various crustal-earth or manufactured materials require damage analysis of the crushing and cracking of materials. The final WTI requires accurate energy dissipation and stress propagation within these materials. Accurate energy dissipation should incorporate local

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 13 stress in mixed media, involving order-of-magnitude differences in local hardness or toughness.

The objectives of this effort are to understand the complex physical processes and multi-phase interactions between a higher velocity ballistic projectile and media such as unconsolidated granular sand or soil and earth media (e.g., rock or concrete).

This research seeks experimental and computational basic research to significantly improve our understanding of the effects of highly-dynamic compression, tension, and shear on highly-heterogeneous crustal and manufactured materials, fundamental material properties, material anisotropy, etc., which include but are not limited to: (i) experimental dynamic studies, with near-real-time visualization of damage under high dynamic load, especially for detailed study of the penetration/cavity expansion physical process, (ii) predictive physics-based models of the time-dependent interaction of overlying media (including intermediate layers) and high-speed penetrating bodies to include shock/pressure propagation, turbulent fluid flow, phase transition/change, etc., (iii) understanding of complex interaction processes such as the flow field around the projectile that governs penetration, (iv) formulation of predictive physics-based algorithms of the time-dependent interaction of granular and high-speed penetrating bodies to include shock/pressure propagation, turbulent fluid flow, material properties changes, etc., and, and (v) creation of concrete dust and energy evolution (e.g. absorption).

RA1—FA2 References:

Leong, A. F. T., Robinson, A. K., Fezzaa, K., Sun, T., Sinclair, N., Casem, D. T., Lambert, P. K., Hustedt, C.

J., Daphalapurkar, N. P., Ramesh, K. T., Hufnagel, T. C. (2018). Quantitative In Situ Studies of Dynamic Fracture in Brittle Solids Using Dynamic X-ray Phase Contrast Imaging. Exp. Mech. 58:1423.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-018-0414-3

Parab, N. D., Guo, Z., Hudspeth, M., Claus, B., Lim, B. H., Sun, T., Xiao, X., Fezzaa, K., Chen, W. W. (2017) In situ observation of fracture processes in high-strength concretes and limestone using high-speed X-ray phase-contrast imaging. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, 375(2085), 20160178. http://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2016.0178.

RA1—FA3: Material Properties of Energetics Materials and Additively Manufactured Energetics Materials (AMEMs) The goal of this FA is investigation of the factors which define the sensitivity of energetic materials. The focus is on the meso-scale origins of initiation, grain fracture, thermal hot spots, microstructural influence, etc. By understanding initiation mechanisms during penetration, energetic mixtures (including reactive materials) may be designed to enhance or control mechanical work and to minimize or eliminate combustion and pre-detonation during penetration.

However, little direct observation has occurred to show what causes the insensitivity of these materials. The main objective of this FA is to gain a clear understanding of the concepts that lead to reaction initiation of energetic composites as they undergo mechanical, thermal and chemical processes in impact (e.g. drop weight, shock) and non-impact events (e.g., static discharge). For impact events, the loading ranges of interest are peak pressures of 10-100 ksi, time durations of tens of milliseconds, and strain rates of 102 to 105 s-1. Other programs focus on computational aspects of this problem.

MSEE seeks to experimentally interrogate the material properties effecting sensitivity of energetic composites, which could lead to building predictive models that will enable the efficient development of new energetics for the next generation of munitions for various mission

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 14 sets. Potentially, this effort would characterize the impact survivability of new formulations or composites and thus the overall design margin of the associated weapon system for a spectrum of hard targets. It is important to note that other government programs are focusing on computational aspects of this problem.

The goals of this effort include the following research objectives, but are not limited to: (i) experimental observations that describe microstructure or meso-scale features arising from chemical composition, particle size, morphology and the effect of processing techniques as a function of processing parameters; (ii) experimental observations that describe mechanical deformation and failure (both elastic and inelastic), that result in thermal and chemical reactivity of microstructure or meso-scale features; and (iii) characterize the effect of material properties, frictional forces and other parameters effecting initiation, thermal transport, and hotspot formation.

RA1—FA3 References:

Bondarchuk, S. V. (2018). Quantification of Impact Sensitivity Based on Solid-State Derived Criteria; The Journal of Physical Chemistry A 122 (24), 5455-5463. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.8b01743.

Ramos, K. J., Jensen, B. J., Iverson, A. J., Yeager, J. D., Carlson, C. A., Montgomery, D. S., Thompson, D. G., Fezzaa, K., Hooks, D. E. (2014). In situ investigation of the dynamic response of energetic materials using IMPULSE at the Advanced Photon Source. J Phys Conf Ser, 500(14):142,028. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742- 6596/500/14/142028.

RA2—Materials and Manufacturing for Synergistic Effects

RA2—FA1: Multimodal Shielding Nuclear command, control and communications (NC3) including aircrafts, ground vehicles, ships and transportable mission critical systems must be hardened against high altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP). HEMP is generated in high altitude nuclear detonation primarily by gamma ray’s Compton interaction with air molecules. HEMP travels at the speed of light and is picked up by electrical conductors and antennas by the electromagnetic coupling. There are several phases of HEMP distinguished by the time of arrival. Firstly, the early time component (E1) of HEMP has a short duration of 1 µs with a high rise time of a few nanoseconds and can reach the intensity of several tens of kV/m. This is the most critical portion of the HEMP waveform with a high frequency of over several hundreds of megahertz dominated by the prompt gamma rays. Secondly, the intermediate time component (E2) of HEMP has an intermediate duration of 1 µs to 1 s from the effect of secondary gamma rays. Finally, the late time component (E3) of HEMP has a long duration of 1 s to several hundreds of seconds with a decaying waveform emanated from the interaction of Compton electrons with the Earth’s magnetic field, which has similarities with the geomagnetic storm. The high frequency and amplitude of HEMP induce high current and voltage that can cause severe damage to electronic systems.

To protect against HEMP, Faraday cage principles are applied to form a continuous shielding enclosure that provides good electrical and magnetic conductive planes. Metal wires with good ferromagnetic properties are usually chosen to design a Faraday cage. However, these wires can be embedded in other materials to develop a composite material such as conductive concrete.

Nanometals and nanofoams with better electrical and magnetic properties that are embedded in the composite matrix to create metal enclosure could also be considered for HEMP shielding.

Another potential option is the use of conductive polymer composites for HEMP shielding. In

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 15 addition to HEMP protection, the goal of a shielding material is to provide protection against shock and penetration from conventional weapons.

MSEE seeks basic research in innovative multimodal shielding materials that provide protection from EMP in addition to blast, shock, and penetration. Nanoscale composites and networks, as well as higher order structures, are potentially of interest. Simply adding conductive material to known shielding materials is not generally of interest.

MSEE also seeks basic research on innovative approaches for fabrication and manufacture of multimodal shielding. Additive manufacturing could be a viable method of fabricating reinforced composite shielding materials. Methods to align and integrate a carbon nanotube network or other novel materials would also be of potential interest.

MSEE further seeks basic research in novel EMP shielding concepts. This could include directional EMP shielding that is or can be made transparent to desired electromagnetic signals without losing its functionality against EMP.

RA2—FA1 References:

Nguyen, L., Krause, A., Tuan, C., Blasey, J. D., Zemotel, J. P., McNerney, H., Metzger, F. J. (2017) Shielding effectiveness performance of conductive concrete structures, 2017 IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility & Signal/Power Integrity (EMCSI). https://doi.org/10.1109/ISEMC.2017.8077895.

Zhang, H., Qiu, Z., Wang, H. (2018). Study on material of polymer-based electromagnetic shielding composites.

Materials Physics and Chemistry.

Viskadourakis, Z., Vasilopoulos, K. C., Economou, E. N., Soukoulis, C.M., Kenanakis, G. (2017). Electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of 3D printed polymer composites, Appl. Phys. A, 123:736. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339- 017-1353-z.

Holzworth K., Williams G., Guan Z., Nemat-Nasser S. (2013). Hybrid Polymer Grafted Nanoparticle Composites for Blast-Induced Shock-Wave Mitigation. In: Antoun B., Qi H., Hall R., Tandon G., Lu H., Lu C.

(eds) Challenges in Mechanics of Time-Dependent Materials and Processes in Conventional and Multifunctional Materials, Volume 2(2013), Conference Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Mechanics Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4241-7_9.

RA2—FA2: Tailoring Chemistry via Materials Chemical and Biological agents used as WMD are delivered as part of weapon payload systems.

These agents exist in the form of solid (particulates), gas, liquid, mist (liquid droplets), etc., and are typically located in hostile or non-permissive areas in a wide variety of containers and facilities. Materials that will mitigate the above concern by utilizing multiple and synergistic mechanisms which lend themselves to performance control by tailoring energy/species output is preferred. Materials which produce combustion products with late time effects with pyrophoric characteristics are of interest (e.g., firebranding).

Prior efforts have focused on materials development for neutralizing biological agents in an ideal (standard pressure and temperature) environment. Efforts geared towards chemical agent pyrolysis and combustion have been limited and mainly focused on thermally driven decomposition pathways of several simulants with physical properties similar to a real agent.

Within this FA, MSEE seeks basic research for identifying energetic and non-energetic material combinations capable of simultaneously neutralizing both biological and chemical agents in extreme environments and which utilize scalable manufacturing processes. As an example, employing additive processes techniques to explore the effect of geometry and composition on chemistry, kinetics, and control energy/species release is of great interest.

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 16

MSEE seeks research into the development of novel materials with synergistic effects producing simultaneous neutralization of CWAs and BWAs and their precursors by multi-mechanistic means and understanding of the decomposition chemistry in extreme environments. These environments include significant variations in pressure, temperature, moisture content, and key species concentrations (oxygen rich vs. oxygen deficient). Producing information on decomposition products to populate thermochemical/kinetic models is also of interest.

RA2—FA2 References:

Wang, H., Jacob, R., DeLisio, J., Zachariah, M. (2017). Assembly and encapsulation of aluminum NP's within AP/NC matrix and their reactive properties. Combustion and Flame, 180(175-183).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.combustflame.2017.02.036.

Harris, Russ. "The 7 Categories of Additive Manufacturing”. Loughborough University Additive Manufacturing Research Group. Loughborough University.

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/amrg/about/the7categoriesofadditivemanufacturing.

Stavrou, E., Zaug, J. M., Bastea, S., Crowhurst, J. C., Goncharov, A. F., Radousky, H. B., Armstrong, M. R., Roberts, S. K., Plaue, J. W. (2015). Equations of state of anhydrous AlF3 and AlI3: Modeling of extreme condition halide chemistry. Journal of Chem. Phys, 142, 214506. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4921896.

RA2—FA3: Characterize and Predict Physical/Chemical Effects in Turbulent Environments Novel energetic materials with thermal and chemical/catalytic neutralization mechanisms are being investigated for future defeat/denial scenarios. Reducing collateral effects using these novel materials requires accurate simulation of the relevant species and reactions followed by turbulent mixing and plume evolution. Recent advances by researchers have developed simulation models to describe some of the mechanistic phenomena; however, there is still a lack of understanding across the field as to how detonation/combustion products and key species interact in turbulent conditions with elevated temperature, pressure, and numerous species.

Further, predicting where and when the fireball or detonation products are hot (thermal profile) enough to neutralize agents, requires modeling the shock and detonation-induced instabilities leading to turbulent mixing. However, it is difficult to accurately characterize the highly-heterogeneous and dynamic post-blast environment due to lack of reliable experimental data, and computational and simulation models.

MSEE seeks to gain an understanding of turbulent mixing of aerosolized biological and chemical simulants in atmospheres of high temperature and reactive gases and catalytic particles.

Research in computational fluid dynamics is needed to develop a novel approach to describe the mixing phenomena and ultimately neutralization. Investigation on functions that describe turbulence and experiments on small scale mixing are needed in time scales of 10-5000 ms. For future decision making purposes, MSEE seeks models describing turbulence and mixing dynamics in an extreme environment and includes quantification of measurement and model uncertainties.

MSEE also seeks tools and methods for dynamic imaging and characterization of post-combustion fields. Research in this area may lead to development of models and simulation tools to predict efficiency of neutralization mechanisms within a confidence interval given limited experimental data.

RA2—FA3 References:

Hawkes, E.R., Sankaran, R., Sutherland, J. C., Chen, J. H. (2005). Direct numerical simulation of turbulent combustion: fundamental insights towards predictive models. J. Phys. Conf. Ser, 16(65-79).

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 17 https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/16/1/009.

Cabra, R., Chen, J. Y., Dibble, R. W., Hamano, Y., Karpetis, A. N., Barlow, R.s. (2003) Simultaneous laser Raman- Rayleigh-LIF measurements and numerical modeling results of a lifted turbulent H2/N2 jet flame in a vitiated coflow. Proc. Combust. Inst. 29(901-9). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1540-7489 (02)80228-0.

Smith, S. H. (1998). Mixing, structure and scaling of the jet in crossflow. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 357(83-122).

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022112097007891.

Shaw, R. A. (2002). Particle-turbulence interactions in atmospheric clouds. Nov Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech. 18(41183- 227). https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.fluid.35.101101.161125.

RA3—Chemistry in Extreme Environments

RA3—FA1: Nuclear Fireball Plasma Chemistry Immediately after a nuclear detonation, complex chemical and physical processes take place in the fireball. The material from the device and the surrounding area interact as plasma, which eventually cools to produce a condensate of physical material as fallout debris. An in-depth understanding of the thermodynamics and kinetics within the fireball, including mixing of various materials present at a detonation site, and the resultant particle agglomeration, particle size distribution, chemical speciation, and other related phenomena of fallout formation at the extreme temperatures and pressures within and near the fireball at time scales extending from initiation to multiple seconds, is needed.

Currently, models such as DELFIC and HYSPLIT exist but increased fidelity will enhance the speed of response both in terms of fallout modeling and useful/effective debris sample acquisition. Of interest are innovations that will help provide more robust and accurate information used to predict the interaction of the fireball with the surrounding environment (including urban) and resultant fallout debris field. An increased understanding of fireball plasma chemistry has the potential to increase the accuracy of modeling and simulation for prediction of fallout plumes and debris fields.

This FA seeks a greater understanding of the complex chemistry and physics taking place shortly after a nuclear detonation. Breakthrough methodologies are sought to enhance our understanding of plasma chemistry and related processes inherent in a nuclear event fireball, from blast to fallout (suggested temperatures of 1 eV or lower). Research areas could include:

thermodynamics; kinetics; mixing of surface material; particle agglomeration; particle size distribution; plasma chemistry; dusty plasmas, to include dusty plasma as a gas, nucleation, particle behavior; RF emissions affecting fallout in plasma; incorporating metastable states of elements into models; chemical speciation; levitation of targets; investigation of quantity of and temporal effects on material entering the vapor phase; and investigation of scalability of lab experiments to other experiments and models (i.e., temperature, pressure, laser energy, and duration).