Cranfield University

Dr Alex Contini CChem

Teaching Associate
Location: Shrivenham campus
E: a.contini@cranfield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1793 785394
Department of Engineering and Applied Science

Current activities

Alex Contini is involved in the synthesis, characterisation (multinuclear NMR spectroscopy) and chemical modification of a variety of novel energetic binders based on linear polyphosphazene templates for new explosive compositions.

Other current activities involve the thermochemical assessment (Oxygen Bomb Calorimetry, Differential Scanning Calorimetry) of energetic materials (including fillers, binders and plasticisers) 

Alex lectures on the subject of Introductory Explosives Thermodynamics to students enrolled on the Explosives Ordnance Engineering (EOE) MSc course. In addition he teaches nitration theory and, occasionally, basic chemistry as well as co-supervises MSc and PhD students.

Clients

Background

After his ‘Maturita’ Tecnica in Chimica Industriale’ (1994, Italy) and National service, Alex Contini graduated from the University of East Anglia (Norwich) in 1999 with an Honours degree in Environmental Chemistry.

Following his interest in combustion phenomena, he joined the Fire Chemistry Research Group at Salford University, graduating with an MPhil (Fire Chemistry) in 2001.

After a short period of work in Italy in the fireworks manufacturing business (Benassi Pirotecnica), he joined the Defence Academy of the UK, Cranfield University, gaining a PhD on the Combustion Thermochemistry of Energetic Materials under the supervision of Dr Anthony Bellamy (2005).

Alex then completed a 2-year post-doc with Dr Bellamy and he is now employed in the Department of Engineering and Applied Science as a full time Teaching Associate.

His current research involves the synthesis of novel energetic binders and the thermochemical characterisation of various energetic materials.

Selected publications

Contini Alessandro E., Blue flame pyrotechnic compositions: A concise review, Journal of Pyrotechnics, 29, 2010, 3-11.

Contini, Alessandro E.; Bellamy, Anthony J.; Ahad, Leila N., Development of a bomb calorimetric technique for sensitive explosives, New Trends in Research of Energetic Materials, Proceedings of the Seminar, 13th, Pardubice, Czech Republic, Apr. 21-22, (2010),  proceedings in press.  

Contini Alessandro E., Perseverance pays off,Treasure Hunting magazine, August 2009

Bellamy, Anthony J.; Contini, Alessandro E.; Padfield, James; Golding, Peter; Mahon, Mary F.Synthesis of the Ammonium Salt of 6-Amino-2-hydroxy- 3,5-dinitropyrazine and a Comparison of its Properties with those of Ammonium 3,5-Diaminopicrate (ADAP) Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 2009, 34(5), 377-384.

Bellamy, Anthony J.; Contini, Alessandro E.; Padfield, James; Golding, Peter; Mahon, Mary F.Synthesis of the Ammonium Salt of 6-Amino-2-hydroxy- 3,5-dinitropyrazine and a Comparison of its Properties with those of Ammonium 3,5-Diaminopicrate (ADAP) Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 2009, 34(5), 377-384.

Bellamy, Anthony J.; Contini, Alessandro E.; Andrews, Matthew R. G. On the reaction of NTO (3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one) and FOX-7 (1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethene) with alkyl isocyanates
New Trends in Research of Energetic Materials, Proceedings of the Seminar, 12th, Pardubice, Czech Republic, Apr. 1-3, 2009, (Pt. 2), 473-480

Bellamy, Anthony J.; Contini, Alessandro E.; Golding, Peter Oxygen Combustion Calorimetry of Samples Containing Phosphorus and Fluorine: Formation of Fluorinated Phosphoric Acids as Non-Ideal Combustion Species Combustion Science and Technology, 2008, 180(12), 2103-2126.

Goebel, Michael; Klapoetke, Thomas M.; Bellamy, Anthony J.; Cassioli, Luigi; Contini, Alessandro E,  From molecular structure to explosive performance parameters: properties of the homologous series of guanidinium salts of 3,5-diaminopicirc acid,  New Trends in Research of Energetic Materials, Proceedings of the Seminar, 11th, Pardubice, Czech Republic, Apr. 9-11, 2008, Pt. 2, 574-580.

Bellamy, Anthony J.; Contini, Alessandro E.; Latypov, Nikolaj V. 1-Amino-1-hydrazo-2,2-dinitroethene - a hazard warning Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 2008, 33(2), 87-88.

Bellamy, Anthony J.; Contini, Alessandro E.; Golding, Peter; Trussell, Stephen J. Bomb calorimetric study of a series of energetic linear polyphosphazenes. Central European Journal of Energetic Materials (2005), 2(4), 23-31.

Bellamy, Anthony J.; Bolton, Peter; Callaway, James D.; Contini, Alessandro E.; Davies, Nigel; Golding, Peter; Till, Michael K.; Towning, James N.; Trussell, J. Stephen. Energetic polyphosphazenes - a new category of binders for pyrotechnic formulations. International Annual Conference of ICT (2005), 36th (Energetic Materials), 2/1-2/11.

Bellamy, Anthony J.; Contini, Alessandro E.; Golding, Peter; Trussell, Stephen J. Bomb calorimetric study of a series of energetic linear polyphosphazenes. New Trends in Research of Energetic Materials, Proceedings of the Seminar, 8th, Pardubice, Czech Republic, Apr. 19-21 (2005), 1 134-141.

Bellamy, Anthony J.; Cassioli, Luigi; Contini, Alessandro E. Synthesis and properties of salts of 3,5-diaminopicric acid. New Trends in Research of Energetic Materials, Proceedings of the Seminar, 8th, Pardubice, Czech Republic, Apr. 19-21 (2005), 2 472-477.

Authored 14 restricted technical reports for AWE Aldermaston