Explosive Technology Group

The Explosive Technology Group (ETG) provides  diverse technical expertise and an agile, integrated approach to solve complex challenges for all classes of energetic materials (EM) and explosive components. The Explosive Technology Group  has a plethora of unique technical capabilities that enable an engineering science approach to component design and development, and probe the science underlying EM performance, safety, and reliability in normal and abnormal environments.

Our customer and partner base includes the National Nuclear Security Administration, other Department of Energy partners, and numerous Work-for-Other customers including Department of Defense , academia, and industry.

Available Resources:

• Four specialized buildings housing laboratories and facilities with state-of-the-art equipment, diagnostics, and multiple indoor/outdoor testing sites that support a broad spectrum of engineering and science operations utilizing milligrams to 5,000 pounds of EM.  
• Integrated multi-disciplinary teams of more than 100 experienced engineers, chemists, physicists, and modelers.
• Complete suite of chemical/thermal/physical/mechanical characterization tools; ultrafast and advanced diagnostics; optics and cameras for performance measurements; inert and EM machining; rapid prototype lab for specialized hardware and explosive component device manufacture; and specialized tools/diagnostics to meet validation and testing needs.

Resources enable multiple key technologies:

• Extensive expertise in research, development, and application of energetic materials
• Conventional and advanced explosive component design, development, evaluation, and modeling
• Unique combinations of physical/chemical characterization and testing of EM for advancing energetic material science and technologies
• Model development for design engineers and understanding the physics of EM in static and dynamic conditions
• Miniaturization of explosive components
• Aging and failure modes analysis
• Safety and reliability assessments
• Development of advanced EM detection technologies
• Quantitative analysis of EM performance in abnormal environments
• Ballistic testing and analysis
• Ability to integrate multiple technologies to address new areas of interest

Geomechanics Laboratory

The Geomechanics Laboratory allows its users to measure rock properties under a wide range of simulated service conditions up to very high pressures and complex load paths. The laboratories capabilities make it useful for research and development in underground construction, mining, oil and gas production/reservoir management, hydrocarbon and compressed air storage and much more.

Find out more about the Geomechanics Laboratory, including a definitive set of our capabilities.

Availability

To make arrangements to use the Geomechanics Laboratory, contact the user liaison.

User liaison

Moo Y. Lee
mylee@sandia.gov
Sandia National Laboratories

P.O. Box 5800, MS-0751

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-0751

Phone: (505) 844-2366

FAX: (505) 844-7354

Materials Science and Engineering Center

The Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Center at Sandia provides knowledge of materials structure, properties, and performance and the processes to produce, transform, and analyze materials to ensure mission success for our customers and partners, both internal and external. Find out more about the Materials Science and Engineering Center.

For additional information about capabilities, facilities and how to access, contact:

Coby Davis
Manager, 01854 Materials Aging and Lifetime
Material, Physical and Chemical Sciences Center
Sandia National Laboratories
P.O. Box 5800, MS 0889
Albuquerque, NM 87185
cldavis@sandia.gov
Phone: (505) 284-9524
Fax: (505) 844-7910

Mechanical Test and Evaluation Facility

The Micromechanics & Materials Mechanics Test Facilities at Sandia, California, conduct experimental research and develop diagnostics to study the mechanical behavior of materials. Material systems of interest include metals, structural foams, ceramics, polymers, and composites. Our work for Department of Energy customers includes material characterization, fracture and failure mechanics, validation of massively parallel engineering mechanics computer codes, and mechanical testing of prototype hardware. The following research capabilities are available:

• multi-axial testing
• coupled thermal/mechanical testing from cryogenic to high temperature
• in-situ mechanical testing in microscopes
• high strain-rate testing
• nanoindentation and thin film evaluation
• high force testing
• friction/wear Testing

Availability

These facilities are available to support applications that can benefit from their unique capabilities. For more information, contact the user liaison listed below.

User liaison

Jake Ostien
Manager, Research & Development
Sandia National Laboratories
P.O. Box 969, MS 9042
Livermore, CA
jtostie@sandia.gov
(925) 294-3528

Microsystems Engineering, Science and Applications (MESA)

Sandia's primary mission is ensuring the U.S. nuclear arsenal is safe, secure, reliable, and can fully support the nation's deterrence policy. Employing only the most advanced and failsafe technologies to fulfill our responsibilities as stewards of the nuclear stockpile, Sandia is responsible for the development, design and maintenance of approximately 90 percent of the several thousand parts found in any given weapon system, including radiation-hardened microelectronics.

In support of this mission, Sandia has a significant role in advancing the state-of-the-art in microsystems research and development and in introducing microsystems into the nuclear stockpile. Microsystems incorporate radiation-hardened microelectronics, and other advanced components such as micromachines, optoelectronics, and photonic systems. The MESA Complex is designed to integrate the numerous scientific disciplines necessary to produce functional, robust, integrated microsystems and represents the center of Sandia's investment in microsystems research, development, and prototyping activities. This suite of facilities encompasses approximately 400,000 square feet and includes cleanroom facilities, laboratories, and offices.

Find out more about the MESA Complex.

Availability

These facilities are available to support applications that can benefit from their unique capabilities.  To find out more about opportunities to engage this facility in your work, contact the user liaison listed below.

User liaison

Dede Valerio
Sandia National Laboratories
P.O. Box 5800, MS 1083
Albuquerque, NM 87185-1074
Phone: (505) 844-8571
dlvaler@sandia.gov

National Solar Thermal Test Facility

The National Solar Thermal Test Facility (NSTTF) is the only test facility in the United States of its type. This unique facility provides experimental engineering data for the design, construction, and operation of unique components and systems in proposed solar thermal electrical plants; planned for large-scale power generation. At 200 feet tall, the NSTTF’s distinct height advantage along with its heat capabilities, offers a unique and complete testing environment to government contractors and agencies, research institutes, universities and private companies.

Find out more about the National Solar Thermal Test Facility.

Availability

First-come, first-serve basis to government agencies and to the private sector. Proposed project activities must not compete with those offered in the private industry.

1. Private sector organizations can contract for use of these facilities and services through a Designated Technology Deployment Center Agreement.
2. Government organizations can contract with Sandia through a Work for Others Agreement.

Both agreements are easy to implement and provide for cost reimbursement for the use of Sandia’s staff and facilities.

User Liaison

Paul Gauche, PhD
Manager - Concentrating Solar Technologies Dept.
Sandia National Laboratories
P.O. Box 5800, MS 1127
Albuquerque, NM 87185-1127
pgauche@sandia.gov
(505) 844-0964
www.sandia.gov/csp

Nuclear Energy Safety Technologies (NEST)

Sandia National Laboratories' Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Programs provide a dynamic, multifaceted approach to systems-based research and development of nuclear energy and fuel cycle technologies. Sandia supports the safe, secure, reliable, and sustainable use of nuclear power worldwide through strengths in repository science, nonproliferation, safety and security, transportation, modeling, and system demonstrations. As a national leader, Sandia strives to enhance the nation's security and prosperity through sustainable, transformative approaches to the world's most difficult nuclear energy challenges.

Find out more about Nuclear Energy Safety Technologies (NEST), including a definitive set of our capabilities.

Availability

The NEST facility is available to support any application that can benefit from its unique capabilities. To make arrangements for support from this facility, contact the user liaison.

User liaison

Eric Boatman
Project Manager
edboatm@sandia.gov
(505) 844-0359

Nuclear Facilities Resource Center (NUFAC)

The Nuclear Facilities Resource Center (NUFAC) represents an exceptional national resource in providing unique capabilities for developing and applying nuclear solutions to problems of national importance.

NUFAC's nuclear engineering technology resource is derived from a combination of unique facilities and highly qualified people in a synergistic structure. NUFAC supports a wide variety of programs including designing, operating, and experimenting with nuclear reactors; performing in core testing of reactor fuel and criticality experiments; radiation processing of semiconductor materials; testing of electronic piece parts and components; performing activation analyses; characterizing radioactive materials; and producing radioisotopes.

Facilities

Interrelated facilities include:

• Annular Core Research Reactor
• Gamma Irradiation Facilities
• Sandia Pulse Reactor Facility/Critical Experiments
• State-of-the-art dosimetry, diagnostic, data acquisition, modeling and analysis capabilities
• The Center has the analytical and experimental infrastructure necessary to meet customer needs in the following areas: design nuclear facilities and assess their safety; modify facilities to meet experimenter's needs; characterize radiation environments; produce support research; develop, test and evaluate experiments; neutron and ion single-event effects testing.

Availability

This facility is available to support any application that can benefit from its unique capabilities.

Contact

For all inquiries, please contact TAV_nuclear@sandia.gov.