Optimization of Pyrotechnic Delay Compositions

Abstract. This work applies Response Surface Methodology (RSM) combined with a Central Composite Design (CCD) to systematically model and optimize the burning rate and electrostatic discharge sensitivity, expressed as minimum ignition energy (MIE), of pyrotechnic delay compositions. Experimental models were developed to describe the influence of formulation parameters on both performance and safety responses. A multi-objective optimization strategy based on the desirability function was employed to identify two optimal formulations, aiming to maximize ESD safety, impose a target burning rate, and simultaneously enhance formulation robustness. To account for uncertainty propagation and experimental variability, Monte Carlo simulations were integrated into the optimization framework, allowing robustness to be explicitly quantified and maximized. The experimentally validated results showed excellent agreement with the optimized model predictions, with the optimized formulations achieving high overall desirability values. These findings demonstrate that the combined use of CCD–RSM, desirability-based optimization, and Monte Carlo-based robustness analysis provides a reliable and effective approach for the design and optimization of pyrotechnic delay compositions.