Kyle Thomas Sullivan profile

Kyle Thomas Sullivan

Deputy Group Leader, Material Dynamics & Kinetics

PLS / Msd / Materials Science Division

Email

Biography

Professional Experience

Dr. Sullivan has primarily worked with nondetonating reactive materials that produce rapid bursts of heat and gas when ignited. Such materials are of interest as pyrotechnics, or for systems such as airbag inflation or seat-ejection mechanisms. Most of his work has investigated the reaction mechanisms to find ways to extract the energy faster or slower, such that one material can be used for a variety of functions. At LLNL, he has continued this research and added the use of 3D printing to further understand phenomena occurring at the micro- and mesoscales. He has also expanded his efforts to other reactive materials of interest.

Education

  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland at College Park, 2010
  • B.S., Physics, State University of New York at Geneseo, 2004

Publications

2014 1 publication

  • K. T. Sullivan, J. D. Kuntz, and A. E. Gash, “The role of fuel particle size on flame propagation velocity in thermites with a nanoscale oxidizer,” Propellants, Explosives and Pyrotechnics, special topics issue on nanoenergetics, 39 (3), 407–415, 2014. (Invited Article.)

2013 2 publications

  • K. T. Sullivan, J. D. Kuntz, and A. E. Gash, “Fine patterning of thermites for mechanistic studies and microenergetic applications,” International Journal of Energetic Materials and Chemical Propulsion 12 (6), 511–528, 2013. (Best Paper Award.)
  • K. T. Sullivan, C. Zhu, D. J. Tanaka, J. D. Kuntz, E. B. Duoss, and A. E. Gash, “Electrophoretic deposition of thermites onto micro-engineered electrodes prepared by direct-ink writing,” Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 117 (6), 1686–1693, 2013. (Invited Article.)

2012 3 publications

  • K. T. Sullivan, J. D. Kuntz, and A. E. Gash, “Electrophoretic deposition and mechanistic studies of Nano-Al/CuO thermites,” Journal of Applied Physics 112, 024316, 2012.
  • K. T. Sullivan, M. A. Worsley, J. D. Kuntz, and A. E. Gash, “Electrophoretic deposition of binary energetic composites,” Combustion and Flame 159 (6), 2210–2218, 2012.
  • K. T. Sullivan, N. W. Piekiel, C. Wu, S. Chowdhury, S. T. Kelly, T. C. Hufnagel, K. Fezzaa, and M. R. Zachariah, “Reactive sintering: An important component in the combustion of nanocomposite thermites,” Combustion and Flame 159 (1), 2–15, 2012. (Feature Article.)
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