HDTRA1-19-S-0003 MSEE URA BAA Final for Posting.pdf

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DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT

HDTRA1-19-S-0003

May 2019

Research and Development Directorate (RD)

Enabling Capabilities Department (EC)

Materials Science in Extreme Environments University Research Alliance

(MSEE-URA)

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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 Enabling Capabilities Department (EC) 8725 John J. Kingman Road, MS 6201 Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201 Funding Opportunity Title: Materials Science in Extreme Environments University Research Alliance (MSEE-URA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Announcement Type: This is an initial announcement of this funding opportunity.

Funding Opportunity Number: HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 12.351 Dates: Applicants must submit a Letter of Intent (LoI) no later than 21 June 2019 to be considered eligible to submit a Phase I pre-proposal. Phase I pre-proposal submissions are due on 17 July 2019.

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

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 4 successful program will demonstrate a comprehensive capability to address materials and their 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 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.

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 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

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(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 Cooperative Agreement (CA) as defined at 31 United States Code (U.S.C.) 6305 for the execution of the program. The CA will be awarded to a U.S. institution of higher education to lead an Alliance of organizations that may include U.S. and foreign institutions of higher education, DoD-Degree Granting Colleges and Universities, DoD Service Laboratories, Federally-funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) to include Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories, U.S. industrial partners, and/or U.S. and foreign non-profit organizations to include University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs).

Applicants should take great care to substantiate involvement of foreign-based 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; these organizations will be designated as the Lead Research Area Organizations (LRAOs). The LRO may act as the LRAO for one RA; however, the same entity cannot be the LRAO for more than one RA. It is expected that each LRAO will make significant scientific contributions to the respective RA and to the Alliance as a whole. As such, DTRA anticipates that the LRO and the LRAOs will provide multiple PIs to work across the Alliance to create a matrix of PIs to address the research within the RAs. Collectively, the LRO and the LRAOs should demonstrate capabilities for scientific leadership and research.

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 also include organizations beyond the LRAOs. These entities will be subawardees to the LRO and considered non-permanent members of the URA.

Alliances are encouraged to include Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions defined in 10 U.S.C. § 2362(e).

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; however, applicants must submit a non-binding LoI to be considered eligible to submit a Phase I package. 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.

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The LoI is required; however, it is not legally binding and does not enter into the review of Phase I or Phase II packages. The information in the LoI will allow DTRA to estimate the potential review workload and plan for the review. By 21 June 2019, prospective LROs must submit a LoI to the email address in Section 7. The LoI should minimally include the following information:

• Identification of the LRO and the LRAOs

• Name, address, and email address of the MSEE-URA Program Manager (PM)

• Names and associated affiliations of other known key personnel

• A list of participating institutions known at the time of the letter preparation

• Number and title of this BAA 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 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 will not be reviewed or considered further.

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."

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

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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. These RAs are:

• 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, matrixed 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, multidisciplinary, 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 relevance to the DoD. As part of the URA, DTRA personnel will have substantial involvement throughout the lifetime of the Alliance, 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 CA will be awarded to a U.S. institution of higher education to lead an Alliance of organizations that may include U.S. and foreign institutions of higher education, DoD-Degree Granting Colleges and Universities, DoD Service Laboratories, Federally-funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) to include Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories, U.S. industrial partners, and/or U.S. and foreign non-profit organizations to include University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) Applicants should take great care to substantiate involvement of foreign-based organizations. Unfunded collaboration with foreign non-profit organizations and foreign governmental research organizations, such as the Atomic Weapons

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Establishment (AWE) and the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), will be considered.

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 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, matrixed 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, as defined in National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 189, National Policy on the Transfer of Scientific, Technical, and Engineering Information. 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 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 university1.

Fundamental research provides for science and Technology (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.

The research 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 research dollars to each of the four RAs as shown below during the life of the base period and the lives of the option years:

• RA1—Material Properties and Failure (~20% of the research dollars), 1 Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Memorandum, SUBJECT: Contracted Fundamental Research, dated 26 Jun 2008

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• RA2—Materials and Manufacturing for Synergistic Effects (~25% of the research dollars),

• RA3—Chemistry in Extreme Environments (~30% of the research dollars), and

• RA4—Photon-Material Interactions (~15% of the research dollars).

The CCRI—Modeling and Diagnostics should account for ~10% of the research dollars and is an integral part of the RA efforts. Research in each RA must not be stove-piped and must inform and be informed by the developments in the other three RAs and the CCRI given the strong inter-dependencies between the four RAs. Research topics may have multiple institutions researching a given topic. Additionally, each institution may participate in research in multiple topics and areas. These research activities should account for 100% of the research dollars including research activities at the LRO. No more than 40% of the total direct dollars may remain at the LRO for the conduct of administrative and research activities.

This BAA is to solicit the most creative, innovative, and flexible approaches to the ultimate 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 proposal 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 the testing, characterizing, and modeling of material as well as control and manipulation of materials to

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 11 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 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 must be addressed within the Draft Initial Program Plan (IPP) of the proposal. Remaining topic areas, shown in black, can be addressed in the Draft IPP or they can be addressed in the follow-on Bi-annual Program Plans (BPPs). It is expected that all RAs and FAs along with a logical progression over time will be addressed in the preproposal and full proposals research narratives and appropriate expertise will be identified to address these areas.

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

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Figure 1: General structure of the MSEE-URA.

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 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.

The MSEE-URA seeks basic research into the computational factors that drive model and result uncertainty. Determining where the highest uncertainties exist, and their overall effects on

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 13 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.

The MSEE-URA also seeks 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 C-WMD operations currently rely on air-dropped ordnance that must penetrate, or otherwise gain entry, into WMD locations. These locations are frequently protected in underground or hardened storage facilities. As a result, C-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, requires 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 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, soil, or other 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:

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• 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;

• 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.;

• understanding of complex interaction processes such as the flow field around the projectile that governs penetration;

• 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

• 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 and performance 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 energetic mixtures (including reactive materials) may be designed to enhance or control mechanical work, energy output (spatial and temporal) and to minimize or eliminate combustion and pre-detonation during penetration.

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. 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.

The MSEE-URA seeks to experimentally interrogate the material properties affecting the sensitivity and performance of non-uniform materials’ – gradients’ response to multiple initiation 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. This will help to solve current penetration issues for C-WMD mission sets. This effort would potentially characterize the survivability and performance for C-WMD 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 also focusing on computational aspects of this problem.

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The goals of this effort include the following research objectives, but are not limited to:

• 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;

• 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;

• characterize the effect of material properties, frictional forces and other parameters effecting initiation, thermal transport, and hotspot formation; and

• performance of material, pressure, temperature and product species.

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 by a 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 which are 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 emanating from the interaction of Compton electrons with the Earth’s magnetic field, which has similarities with a 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 addition to HEMP protection, the goal of a shielding material is to provide protection against

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 16 shock and penetration from conventional weapons.

The MSEE-URA 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 also potentially of interest. However, simply adding conductive material to known shielding materials is not generally of interest.

The MSEE-URA also seeks basic research on innovative approaches for the 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.

The MSEE-URA 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 (Must be addressed in the draft IPP) Chemical and Biological agents used as WMD are delivered as part of weapon payload systems.

These agents exist in the form of solids (particulates), gases, liquids, 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, along 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 focused mainly on thermally driven decomposition pathways of several simulants with physical properties similar to a real agent.

Within this FA, the MSEE-URA 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.

The MSEE-URA seeks research into the development of novel materials with synergistic effects

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 17 producing simultaneous neutralization of chemical and biological weapon agents along with 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 (Must be addressed in the draft IPP) 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 that lead to turbulent mixing. However, it is difficult to accurately characterize the highly-heterogeneous and dynamic post-blast environment due to the lack of reliable experimental data, and computational and simulation models.

WMD are encountered in environments/areas with various geometrical shapes and level of accessibility such as inside bunkers, open air, large processing buildings with multiple or single rooms. The performance of C-WMD materials in these would varying accordingly, hence, the MSEE-URA seeks to understand the turbulent mixing of aerosolized biological and chemical simulants in atmospheres with high temperature, 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, of aerosolized biological and chemical simulants.

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, the MSEE-URA seeks models describing turbulence and mixing dynamics in an extreme environment and includes quantification of measurement and model uncertainties.

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

HDTRA1-19-S-0003 Page 18

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).

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 (Must be addressed in the draft IPP) Immediately after a nuclear detonation, complex chemical and physical processes take place in the fireball.