Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Military Technical College, Cairo, Egypt.
2
Benha Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence (BFCAI), Benha, Egypt.
3
National Authority of Military Production, Cairo, Egypt.
4
Technical Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
10.1088/1757-899X/975/1//iccee.2025.460367
Abstract
Thermal imaging systems possess significant civilian and military applications, including the identification of industrial defects, human targets, vehicles, equipment, and weapons systems via the middle (3–5 μm) and far (8–12 μm) infrared bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. This study investigates the obscuring potential of selected red phosphorus (RP)/potassium nitrate (KNO₃)-based pyrotechnic compositions in the far (8–12 μm) infrared band via an image processing technique. Three different compositions, namely K-13, K-16, and K-19, incorporating a constant percentage of 58% red phosphorus, 10% epoxy, andvarying percentages of oxidizer (Fe₂O₃) and metallic fuel (magnesium), were investigated.A specially built smoke tunnel coupled with a thermal imager was used to determine the actiontime, obscuring potential, and impact of compositions on the target image. The compositionK-19 with 20% KNO₃, 12% Mg, 58% RP, and 10% epoxy resin by weight demonstrated themaximum performance in terms of rapid action time of 1 second, maximum obscuring potentialof 100%, long-lasting obscuration of 60 seconds, and superior performance at obscurationthresholds of 80% and 95% for 53 and 26 seconds, respectively. These findings imply that K-19serves as a powerful obscurant for sophisticated infrared seekers.
)
View on SCiNiTO