Site Map THE TOP TEN CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NIST AND NANO-THERMITES |
by Kevin R. Ryan July 2, 2008
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has had considerable difficulty determining a politically correct sequence of events for the unprecedented destruction of three World Trade Center (WTC) buildings on 9/11 (Douglas 2006, Ryan 2006, Gourley 2007). But despite a number of variations in NIST’s story, it never considered explosives or pyrotechnic materials in any of its hypotheses. This omission is at odds with several other striking facts; first, the requirement of the national standard for fire investigation (NFPA 921), which calls for testing related to thermite and other pyrotechnics, and second, the extensive experience NIST investigators have with explosive and thermite materials. One of the most intriguing aspects of NIST’s diversionary posture has been their total lack of interest in explosive or pyrotechnic features in their explanations. Despite the substantial evidence for the use of explosives at the WTC (Jones 2006, Legge and Szamboti 2007), and the extensive expertise in explosives among NIST investigators (Ryan 2007), explosives were never considered in the NIST WTC investigation. Only after considerable criticism of this fact did NIST deign to add one small disclaimer to their final report on the towers, suggesting they found no evidence for explosives. The extensive evidence that explosives were used at the WTC includes witness testimony (MacQueen 2006), overwhelming physical evidence (Griffin 2005, Hoffman et al 2005, Jones and Legge et al 2008) and simple common sense (Legge 2007). There is also substantial evidence that aluminothermic (thermite) materials were present at the WTC (Jones 2007), and the presence of such materials can explain the existence of intense fire where it would not otherwise have existed. Additionally, despite agreement from all parties that the assumed availability of fuel allowed for the fires in any given location of each of the WTC buildings to last only twenty minutes (NIST 2007), the fires lasted much longer and produced extreme temperatures (Jones and Farrer et al 2008). These inexplicable fires are a reminder that the WTC buildings were not simply demolished, but were demolished in a deceptive way. That is, the buildings were brought down so as to make it look like the impact of the planes and the resulting fires might have caused their unprecedented, symmetrical destruction. Therefore, shaped charges and other typical explosive configurations were likely used, but there was more to it than that. Those committing the crimes needed to create fire where it would not have existed otherwise, and draw attention toward the part of the buildings where the planes impacted (or in the case of WTC 7, away from the building altogether). This was most probably accomplished through the use of nano-thermites, which are high-tech energetic materials made by mixing ultra fine grain (UFG) aluminum and UFG metal oxides; usually iron oxide, molybdenum oxide or copper oxide, although other compounds can be used (Prakash 2005, Rai 2005). The mixing is accomplished by adding these reactants to a liquid solution where they form what are called “sols”, and then adding a gelling agent that captures these tiny reactive combinations in their intimately mixed state (LLNL 2000). The resulting “sol-gel” is then dried to form a porous reactive material that can be ignited in a number of ways. The high surface area of the reactants within energetic sol-gels allows for the far higher rate of energy release than is seen in “macro” thermite mixtures, making nano-thermites “high explosives” as well as pyrotechnic materials (Tillotson et al 1999). Sol-gel nano-thermites, are often called energetic nanocomposites, metastable intermolecular composites (MICs) or superthermite (COEM 2004, Son et al 2007), and silica is often used to create the porous, structural framework (Clapsaddle et al 2004, Zhao et al 2004). Nano-thermites have also been made with RDX (Pivkina et al 2004), and with thermoplastic elastomers (Diaz et al 2003). But it is important to remember that, despite the name, nano-thermites pack a much bigger punch than typical thermite materials. It turns out that explosive, sol-gel nano-thermites were developed by US government scientists, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL) (Tillotson et al 1998, Gash et al 2000, Gash et al 2002). These LLNL scientists reported that --
The amazing correlation between floors of impact and floors of apparent failure suggests that spray-on nano-thermite materials may have been applied to the steel components of the WTC buildings, underneath the upgraded fireproofing (Ryan 2008). This could have been done in such a way that very few people knew what was happening. The Port Authority’s engineering consultant Buro Happold, helping with evaluation of the fireproofing upgrades, suggested the use of “alternative materials” (NIST 2005). Such alternative materials could have been spray-on nano-thermites substituted for intumescent paint or Interchar-like fireproofing primers (NASA 2006). It seems quite possible that this kind of substitution could have been made with few people noticing. Regardless of how thermite materials were installed in the WTC, it is strange that NIST has been so blind to any such possibility. In fact, when reading NIST’s reports on the WTC, and its periodic responses to FAQs from the public, one might get the idea that no one in the NIST organization had ever heard of nano-thermites before. But the truth is, many of the scientists and organizations involved in the NIST WTC investigation were not only well aware of nano-thermites, they actually had considerable connection to, and in some cases expertise in, this exact technology. Here are the top ten reasons why nano-thermites, and nano-thermite coatings, should have come to mind quickly for the NIST WTC investigators.
The presence of Pacific Scientific Energetics (PSE) in this list of 1999 NSWC-IH contractors is interesting because PSE was the parent company of Special Devices, Inc (SDI). SDI specializes in explosives for defense, aerospace and mining applications, and was acquired in 1998 by John Lehman, 9/11 Commissioner, member of the Project for a New American Century, and former Secretary of the Navy (SDI 2008). Lehman divested in 2001. With this in mind, it is worthwhile to reiterate that nano-thermite materials were very likely used in the deceptive demolition of the WTC buildings, but most certainly played only a part in the plan. However, other high-tech explosives were available to those who had access to nano-thermite materials at the time. Like SDI, several other organizations with links to military, space and intelligence programs (e.g. In-Q-Tel, Orbital Science) have access to many types of high-tech explosives to cut high-strength bolts and produce pyrotechnic events (Goldstein 2006). These organizations also have connections to those who could have accessed the buildings, like WTC tenant Marsh & McLennan and former NASA administrator and Securacom director, James Abrahamson. In any case, it is important for those seeking the truth about 9/11 to consider what organizations and people had access to the technologies that were used to accomplish the deceptive demolition of the WTC buildings. It is also important to recognize the links between those who had access to the technologies, those who had access to the buildings, and those who produced the clearly false official reports. To that end we should note that NIST had considerable connections to nano-thermites, both before and during the WTC investigation. It is therefore inexplicable why NIST did not consider such materials as an explanation for the fires that burned on 9/11, and long afterward at Ground Zero. This fact would not be inexplicable, of course, if those managing the NIST investigation knew to not look, or test, for such materials. _______________ References: Amptiac (2002), Amptiac Quarterly Volume 6, No 1, Special Issue: A Look Inside Nanotechnology, http://www.p2pays.org/ref/15/14610.pdf Army (1999),
Summaries of US Army budget activities, FY 1999 Army (2008), US
Army SBIR 08.2 Proposal Submision Instructions Battelle
(2008), Corporate website for Nanomaterials /
Nanotechnology, Jordan, JL, Foley JR, Dick, RD, Ferranti L, Thadhani NN, McDowell DL, Austin RA, Benson DJ (2007), Equation of State of Aluminum-Iron Oxide-Epoxy Composite, Air Force Research Lab Eglin AFB FL Munitions Directorate Chartek (now
International Paint) is the maker of Interchar, and they
work with NASA Choi HJ, Austin R, Allen JK, McDowell DL, Mistree F, Benson DJ (2005), An Approach for Robust Design of Reactive Power Metal Mixtures Based on Non-deterministic Micro-scale Shock Simulation, Journal of Computer-Aided Materials Design, Volume 12, Number 1 / January, 2005 Clapsaddle BJ,
Gash AE, Plantier KB, Pantoya ML, Satcher Jr. JH,
Simpson RL (2004), Synthesis and Characterization of
Mixed Metal Oxide Nanocomposite Energetic Materials,
LLNL Report UCRL-PROC-204118 CNST (2008),
NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology website COEM (2004), Advanced Energetic Materials, Committee on Advanced Energetic Materials and Manufacturing Technologies, National Research Council, The National Academies Press, online book available at -- http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10918#toc CRHC (1986),
Cooperative Research History Commons, Context of
'(Mid-1986): Report Rates Vulnerability of Public Areas
of WTC to Terrorist Attack as ‘Very High’' Diaz E, Brousseau P, Ampleman G, Prudhomme RE (2003), Polymer Nanocomposites from Energetic Thermoplastic Elastomers and Alexâ, Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics 28, No.4 DOD (2005), US
Defense Nanotechnology Research and Development
Programs, Department of Defense Director, Defense
Research and Engineering, Executive Summary, May 2005,
DOD (2007), US
Department of Defense, Annual Report on Cooperative
Agreements and Other Transactions Entered into during
Fiscal Year 2006 Under 10 USC 2371 Douglas, Eric
(2006), The NIST WTC Investigation--How Real Was The
Simulation?: A review of NIST NCSTAR 1, J 9/11 Studies,
December 2006 FLCTT (2008),
Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer
website Gann RG (1997),
Next-Generation Fire Suppression Technology Program
(NGP): A Status Report, Halon Options Technical Working
Conference, 6-8 May 1997 Gann RG (2002),
FY2001 Annual Report Next Generation Fire Suppression
Technology Program (NGP), NIST Technical Note 1445,
Building and Fire Research Laboratory Gash AE,
Simpson RL, Tillotson TM, et al (2000), Making
Nanostructured Pyrotechnics in a Beaker, Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) UCRL-JC-137593,
accessed online16 February 2008, Gash AE,
Simpson RL, Satcher JH (2002), Energetic Nanocomposites
with Sol-gel Chemistry: Synthesis, Safety, and
Characterization, LLNL UCRL-JC-146739, Gash A, Barbee
T, Simpson R, Satcher J,.Walton C (2003),
Environmentally Benign Stab, Detonators, LLNL Report
UCRL-TR-201628 Goldstein S
(2006), Exploding into Space: Explosive Ordnance for
Space Systems, Crosslink – The Aerospace Corporation Gordon (1998),
Gordon Research Conference on Energetic Materials, June
1998 Gordon (1999),
Gordon Research Conference on Energetic Materials, July
1999 Gourley J
(2007), Appeal Filed with NIST, Pursuant to Earlier
Request for Correction, J 9/11 Studies, December 2007
Griffin, DR
(2005), The Destruction of the World Trade Center: Why
the Official Account Cannot Be True, 911Review.com Howard SL;
Morris JB; Beyer RA; Hamlin SJ; Martin J; Burke GC;
Doris T; Laser initiation thresholds of a green
aluminum/molybdenum- trioxide metastable intermolecular
composite and other pyrotechnics, Proceedings of SPIE,
Jones SE,
Farrer J, Jenkins GS, Legge F, et al (2008) Extremely
High Temperatures During the World Trade Center
Destruction, J 9/11 Studies, Jones SE, Legge
FM, Ryan KR, (2008) Fourteen Points of Agreement with
Official Government Reports on the World Trade Center
Destruction, The Open Civil Engineering Journal, Volume
2 Issue 1 Jones SE
(2006), Why Indeed Did the WTC Buildings Completely
Collapse?, J 9/11 Studies, September 2006 Jones S E, (2007), Revisiting 9/11/2001--Applying the Scientific Method, J 9/11 Studies, http://www.journalof911studies.com/volume/200704/JonesWTC911SciMethod.pdf Leaf (2007),
The Leaf, White Oak Laboratory Alumni Assoc, Inc, Summer
2007, p 5 Legge F (2007), The Twin Towers and Common Sense, J 9/11 Studies, February 2007, http://www.journalof911studies.com/letters/g/CraneAndCommonSenseByFrankLegge.pdf Legge F, and Szamboti, T (2007), 9/11 and the Twin Towers: Sudden Collapse Initiation was Impossible, J 9/11 Studies, December 2007 ( http://www.journalof911studies.com/volume/200703/Sudden_collapse_initiation_impossible.pdf) LLNL (2000),
Science and Technology Review, October 2000, Nanoscale
Chemistry Yields Better Explosives Lord (2008),
Lord Corporation website, Coatings MacQueen G
(2006), 118 Witnesses: The Firefighter's Testimony to
Explosions in the Twin Towers, J 9/11 Studies, August
2006 Margolis SB, Williams FA (1996), Effect of gas-phase thermal expansion on stability of deflagrations in porous energetic materials. International Journal of Multiphase Flow 22, 69-91 Margolis SB,
Williams FA (1999), Structure and Stability of
Deflagrations in Porous Energetic Materials, Sandia
Report SAND99-8458, Sandia National Laboratories NASA (2001),
Glenn Research Center website page on gelled
nano-energetics NASA (2006),
Fire-Resistant Reinforcement Makes Steel Structures
Sturdier, NASA website Scientific and Technical
Information, Spinoffs 2006 NIST (2003),
Announcement of NIST Memorandum of Understanding with
the Univeristy of Maryland, NIST website NIST (2005),
WTC Report, NCSTAR 1-6A, Passive Fire Protection,
p 25 NIST (2007),
NCST Advisory Committee Meeting, December 18, 2007,
Final Meeting Minutes, NM2 (2008), NIST and UMCP, Co-Laboratory for Nanoparticle Based Manufacturing & Metrology http://www.enme.umd.edu/~mrz/ Northwestern
(2008), Civil Engineering Department website resume for
Zdenek P. Bazant, "During the last few years, Bazant
focused attention on the scaling of thin metallic films
and nanocomposites on approach to nanoscale." NRFG (1996),
NIST’s Reactive Flows Group website, Selected Technical
Reports NSWC (2000),
GovernmentContractsWon.com, Year 2000 Government
Contracts - Defense Department NSWC (2008), Webpage for Naval Surface Warfare Center – Indian Head http://www.ih.navy.mil/ ONR (2008), Scaling of Energy Absorption in Composites to Enhance Survivability, Office of Naval Research, ONR grant N00014-02-1-0622, Bazant Z, Northwestern University, http://stinet.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA453365&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf Hoffman J, Paul D, Star C (2005), 9/11 Guilt: The Proof is in Your Hands, documentary film available at www.wtc7.net, http://www.wtc7.net/store/videos/proof/index.html Pivkina A, Ulyanova P, Frolov Y (2004), Nanomaterials for Heterogeneous Combustion, Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 29, No. 1 Prakash A,
McCromick A., Zachariah MR (2004), Aero-Sol-Gel
Synthesis of Nanoporous Iron-Oxide Particles: A
Potential Oxidizer for Nanoenergetic Materials, Prakash, A,
McCormick AV, Zachariah MR (2005), Synthesis and
Reactivity of a Super-Reactive Metastable Intermolecular
Composite Formulation of Al/KMnO4, Adv Mater
2005, 17, No. 7 April 4 Rai A, Zhou L, Prakash A, McCormick A, Zachariah MR (2005), Understanding and Tuning the Reactivity of Nano-Energetic Materials, Mat Res Soc Sym Proc, 2006, Vol 896, pages 99-110 Ryan K (2006),
What is 9/11 Truth? - The First Steps, J 9/11 Studies,
August 2006 Ryan K (2007), Looking for Truth in Credentials: The Peculiar WTC “Experts”, Global Research, March 13, 2007 http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=RYA20070313&articleId=5071 Ryan K (2008), Another Amazing Coincidence Related to the WTC, 911blogger.com, http://www.911blogger.com/node/13272 SAIC (2004), Science Applications International Corporation, Annual Report 2004 http://www.saic.com/news/pdf/Annual-Report2004.pdf SDMST (2001),
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology website,
Research Experience for Teachers, Current Projects 2001 SDI (2008),
Special Devices Incorporated website, History Simpson RL
(2002), Safe and Environmentally Acceptable
Sol-Gel-Derived Pyrophoric Pyrotechnics, SERDP Pollution
Prevention PP-1276 Son SF, Yetter R, Yang V (2007), Introduction: Nanoscale Composite Energetic Materials, Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 23, No. 4, July–August 2007 Son (2008),
Steven Son energetic materials webpage at Purdue
University Tillotson TM,
Simpson RL, Hrubesh LW (1999), Nanostructure High
Explosives Using Sol-gel Chemistry, 98-ERD-048, LLNL
Laboratory Directed Research and Development, Annual
Report FY1999 Tillotson, TM, Hrubesh, Simpson RL Lee RS, Swansiger RW, Simpson LR (1998), Sol-Gel Processing of Energetic Materials, J. Non-Crystalline Solids, 225, 358 Telengator AM, Margolis SB, Williams FA (1998), Ignition Analysis of a Porous Energetic Material --II. Ignition at a Closed Heated End, Sandia National Laboratory, Sandia Report SAND98-8655, November 1998 University of
Idaho Magazine, Fall 2002, p 15 Zahcariah
(2008), Faculty webpage for Michael Zachariah Zhao L,
Clapsaddle BJ, Satcher Jr. JH, Schaefer DW, Shea KJ,
(2004), Integrated Chemical Systems: the Simultaneous
Formation of Hybrid Nanocomposites of Iron Oxide and
Organo Silsesquioxanes, Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory, UCRL-JRNL-207355
|