Effects of Aluminum Content on TNT Detonation and Aluminum Combustion using Electrical Conductivity Measurements

To improve the understanding how aluminum contributes in non‐ideal explosive mixtures, cast‐cured formulations were analyzed in a series of electrical conductivity experiments. Five types of TNT‐based aluminized explosives, with aluminum mass fractions from 0 % to 20 % were considered in this study. The electrical conductivity of the detonation products in aluminized explosives was measured using an improved conductivity measurement method. The conductivity measurement results show that the detonation process of TNT‐based aluminized explosives can be divided into two stages: the first stage is the detonation reaction of TNT, and the second stage is the combustion reaction of aluminum with the detonation products. In the first stage, the duration of the TNT detonation increases with increased aluminum content; examination of the peak conductivities of the explosives with various aluminum contents indicated that a higher aluminum content is associated with a lower peak conductivity. Additionally, the ignition time of Al in the second stage is also determined. This work not only presents a means for studying the detonation process of aluminized explosives at 0–2.21 μs, but it also verified the relationship between the aluminum content and electrical conductivity in detonation products.     

Cast aluminized explosives (review)

This paper reviews the current status and future trends of aluminized explosives. The major focus is on cast compositions, which encompass both the melt-cast trinitrotoluene (TNT) based and the slurry cast polymer-based compositions. Widely reported RDX and HMX based aluminized compositions with TNT used as a binder are discussed in detail. Various researchers have suggested a 15–20% Al content as an optimum from the viewpoint of velocity of detonation. A higher Al content, however, is incorporated in most of the compositions for a sustained blast effect, due to the potential of secondary reactions of Al with detonation products. The effect of the aluminum particle size on performance parameters (velocity of detonation, etc.) is included. There are some recent works on nanometric Al based compositions, and the results obtained by various researchers suggest mixed trends for RDX-TNT compositions. Studies on nitrotriazol and TNT based compositions bring out their low vulnerability. Some of the interesting findings on ammonium dinitramide and bis(2,2,2-trinitro-ethyl)nitramine (BTNEN) based compositions are also included. The review brings out superiority of polymer based aluminized explosives, as compared to conventional TNT based compositions, particularly, with respect to low vulnerability. In general, aluminized plastic bonded explosives find numerous underwater applications. Ammonium perchlorate (AP) is also incorporated, particularly, for enhancing underwater shock wave and bubble energy. Hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene appears to be the binder of choice. However, nitrocellulose, polyethylene glycol, and polycaprolactone polymer based compositions with energetic plasticizers, like bis-dinitropropyl acetal/formal (BDNPA/F, 1/1 mix), trimethylol ethane trinitrate, and triethylene glycol dinitrate are also investigated. Polyethylene glycol and polycaprolactone polymer based compositions are found to be low vulnerable, particularly, in terms of shock sensitivity. Highly insensitive polymer bonded nitrotriazol based compositions are being pursued all over the globe. The highly insensitive CL-20/AP combination meets the demands of high density and high velocity of detonation. Glycidyl azide polymer and poly nitratomethyl methyl oxetane appear to be binders of interest for plastic bonded explosives in view of their superior energetics. The vulnerability aspects of these compositions, however, need to be studied in detail. Brief information on plastic bonded and gelled thermobaric explosives is also included. __________ Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 44, No. 4, pp. 98–115, July–August, 2008.     

Detonation Performance of TATP/AN‐Based Explosives

The detonation velocity and performance were determined for four mixtures of triacetone triperoxide (3,3,6,6,9,9‐hexamethyl‐1,2,4,5,7,8‐hexoxonane, TATP), ammonium nitrate (AN) and water (W) by cylinder expansion tests. The composition of these mixtures varied in the following ranges: 21–31% TATP, 37–54% AN and 19–32% W. The obtained results were compared with those of powdery 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT), AN‐fuel oil explosive (ANFO) and emulsion explosive. It was found that the tested TATP/AN/W mixtures represent typical non‐ideal explosives with relatively low critical diameter and with high sensitivity to initiation despite the high content of water due to the presence of the primary explosive (TATP). The detonation velocity is comparable to that of powdery TNT (at similar density). However, the acceleration ability is significantly lower than that of powdery TNT.     

Effects of Aluminum Particle Size on the Detonation Pressure of TNT/Al

To better understand the influence of the aluminum particle size on the detonation pressure of TNT/Al, electrical conductivity experiment and detonation pressure experiment were performed in this study. Four types of TNT/Al were considered, in which the particle size of aluminum was 50 nm, 100 nm, 1.50 μm, and 9.79 μm, respectively. The combustion process of Al in TNT/Al was detected by electrical conductivity experiment, and the detonation pressures of TNT/Al were measured by using the manganin pressure sensors. According to the experimental results, the Chapman Jouguet (CJ) pressure of the explosive containing nano‐sized aluminum is higher than the explosive containing micron‐sized aluminum powder because of the combustion of nano‐sized aluminum in the detonation reaction zone. In addition, a smaller aluminum particle size in TNT/Al is associated with a slower detonation pressure attenuation. This study gives a clearer picture of how aluminum particle size contributes to detonation pressure on timescales from 0 to 0.82 μs.     

Mixed Explosives and Determination of Their Detonation Parameters

A model of the effective characteristics of heterogeneous systems is given. The model is based on the methods of field theory of many bodies. The suitability of the given approach for a quantitative assessment of the characteristics of explosives and detonation is shown. In particular, two‐component mixtures of TNT/RDX and three‐component mixtures of aluminum with energetic materials are considered. The values of a few parameters (density, impact sensitivity, heat of explosion, detonation velocity) calculated by means of the proposed model agree satisfactorily with known experimental data.     

Evaluation of Plastic Bonded Explosive (PBX) Formulations Based on RDX,Aluminum, and HTPB for Underwater Applications

Aluminized high explosives are known to give better underwater performance. All explosive formulations for underwater targets are filled into warheads and shells by casting method. TNT, a high explosive is used as casting medium due to its lower melting point. Plastic bonded explosives are fast replacing TNT‐based high explosive formulations for the reasons that they are more insensitive and low vulnerable explosives with better shelf life. Few aluminized plastic bonded explosive formulations based on RDX, aluminum, and HTPB have been processed, varying the aluminum content from 0 to 35% and evaluated underwater. The present paper discusses the experimental methodology adopted to evaluate the above formulations for their ballistic parameters, viz., peak over pressure and impulse. Explosion bulge tests have been conducted with each explosive formulation and extent of bulge in test plates is presented and compared with a standard underwater explosive, viz., HBX‐3.     

Modification of W/O Emulsions by Demilitarized Composition B

A series of W/O emulsion explosives containing 30–50 wt‐% of the demilitarized mixture RDX/TNT (Composition B 50/50) was prepared. Detonation velocities and relative explosive strengths of these mixtures were determined and their detonation characteristics were calculated according to the EU standard methods for commercial explosives. Thermal reactivities of the most reactive components of these W/O mixtures were examined by means of differential thermal analysis and outputs were analyzed according to the Kissinger method. The reactivities, expressed as the E_a ⋅ R⁻¹ slopes of the Kissinger relationship, correlate with the squares of the detonation velocities of the corresponding explosive mixtures. It was found that fortification of the W/O emulsions by the demilitarized mixture RDX/TNT allows modification of detonation velocities of the resulting emulsion explosives within relatively broad limits. However, the effect of this admixture on the relative explosive strength is not well defined. Nevertheless, fortification in this sense can give rock‐blasting explosives with a performance on the level of industrial powdered amatols.     

Dependence of detonation velocity on charge density for foamed alumotol (Al/TNT) and TNT mixtures

Experimental data are presented on the dependence of the critical diameter and detonation velocity of cast and liquid porous TNT and TA-15 alumotol (Al/TNT) on charge density. The results of the detonation velocity measurements are compared with calculations. Based on this comparison, it is proposed that the reaction during detonation of alumotol is substantially heterogeneous and this is confirmed by plotting the detonation velocity as a function of density for model mixtures of TNT with various amounts of aluminum and an inert component. Translated fromFizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 34, No. 4, pp 88–93, July–August 1998.     

Laboratory‐Scale Method for Estimating Explosive Performance from Laser‐Induced Shock Waves

A new laboratory‐scale method for predicting explosive performance (e.g., detonation velocity and pressure) based on milligram quantities of material is demonstrated. This technique is based on schlieren imaging of the shock wave generated in air by the formation of a laser‐induced plasma on the surface of an energetic material residue. The shock wave from each laser ablation event is tracked for more than 100 μs using a high‐speed camera. A suite of conventional energetic materials including DNAN, TNT, HNS, TATB, NTO, PETN, RDX, HMX, and CL‐20 was used to develop calibration curves relating the characteristic shock velocity for each energetic material to several detonation parameters. A strong linear correlation between the laser‐induced shock velocity and the measured performance from full‐scale detonation testing has been observed. The Laser‐induced Air Shock from Energetic Materials (LASEM) method was validated using nitrocellulose, FOX‐7, nano‐RDX, three military formulations, and three novel high‐nitrogen explosives currently under development. This method is a potential screening tool for the development of new energetic materials and formulations prior to larger‐scale detonative testing. The main advantages are the small quantity of material required (a few milligrams or less per laser shot), the ease with which hundreds of measurements per day can be obtained, and the ability to estimate explosive performance without detonating the material (reducing cost and safety requirements).     

Using the tracer method to study detonation processes

The tracer method was used to study the synthesis of nanodiamonds during detonation of composite explosives. Alloys of TNT with RDX, HMX, PETN, and benzotrifuroxan were studied. It was shown that, in all cases, most nanodiamonds were formed from TNT carbon. It was concluded that during the chemical reaction in the detonation wave propagating in heterogeneous explosives, equilibrium parameters were not established. In homogeneous TNT/PETN mixtures, individual components react with each other to form common products. __________ Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 44, No. 6, pp. 92–98, November–December, 2008.     

Combustion heat of the Al/B powder and its application in metallized explosives in underwater explosions

An underwater explosion test is used to determine the detonation properties of metallized explosives containing aluminum and boron powders. An oxygen bomb calorimeter (PARR 6200 calorimeter, Parr Instrument Company, USA) is used to obtain the heat of combustion of the metal mixtures. As the content of boron powders is increased, the heat of combustion of the metal mixtures increases, and the combustion efficiency of boron decreases. The highest value of the combustion heat is 38.2181 MJ/kg, with the boron content of 40%. All metallized explosive compositions (RDX/Al/B/AP) have higher detonation energy (including higher shock wave energy and bubble energy) in water than the TNT charge. The highest total useful energy is 6.821 MJ/kg, with the boron content of 10%. It is 3.4% higher than the total energy of the RDX/Al/AP composition, and it is 2.1 times higher than the TNT equivalent.     

老化对TNT基熔铸炸药性能的影响

为了研究老化对炸药性能的影响,对自然贮存的3种熔铸炸药TNT／RDX、TNT／RDX／Al和 TNT／HMX／Al进行了加速老化试验。通过扫描电镜、真空安定性试验研究了老化前后3种炸药的微观形貌和安全性能,并测试了老化前后3种炸药的感度和爆速。结果表明,老化后炸药颜色变深,体积膨胀,质量变轻。样品的放气量小于2 mL／g ,热感度变化也较小。机械感度的变化与炸药组分和老化方式有关。TNT／RDX的爆速随着贮存时间的增加而降低,与整体加速老化情况一致,TNT／RDX／Al和 TNT／HMX／Al的爆热随贮存时间的增加变化趋势相反,说明两者老化机理可能不同。     

Effect of powdered aluminum additives on the detonation parameters of high explosives

The effect of additives of various brands of aluminum on the detonation parameters of high explosives is investigated. It is shown that the detonation velocity of aluminized mixtures depends not only on the size of the additive particles used but also on their form.Moscow. Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 115–117, March–April, 1993.     

Isotope studies of detonation mechanisms of TNT,RDX, and HMX

An analysis is performed of experimental data from isotopic tracer studies of the detonation mechanism and formation of the diamond phase of carbon in the detonation products of TNT, RDX, HMX, and their mixtures. Dependences of the relative yield and phase composition of carbon in the detonation products of components of composite explosives on the particle sizes of the explosives are given. __________ Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 43, No. 5, pp. 96–103, September–October, 2007.     

Effect of Different Polymeric Matrices on Some Properties of Plastic Bonded Explosives

Matrices based on polyisobutylene (PIB), polymethyl‐methacrylate (PA), Viton A 200, Dyneon FT 2481 (Fluorel), and polydimethyl‐siloxane binders were studied as desensitizers. A series of plastic explosives (PBXs) were prepared, based on four different nitramines, namely RDX (1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazinane), β‐HMX (β‐1,3,5,7‐tetranitro‐1,3,5,7‐tetrazocane), BCHMX (cis‐1,3,4,6‐tetranitro‐octahydroimidazo‐[4,5‐d]imidazole) and ε‐HNIW (ε‐2,4,6,8,10,12‐hexanitro‐2,4,6,8,10,12‐hexaazaisowurtzitane, ε‐CL‐20), bonded by the matrices mentioned. For comparison, pentaerythritol tetranitrate and certain commercial explosives based on it, Semtex 1A, Semtex 10 and Sprängdeg m/46, were used. Detonation velocities, sensitivities to impact and friction, and peak temperatures of thermal decomposition by differential thermal analysis technique (DTA) for all the explosives studied were determined. Heat of detonation was calculated by means of a thermodynamic calculation program (EXPLO 5 code). Fluoroelastomers have a neutral to positive effect on the thermal stability of nitramines and they have a significant effect on decreasing the friction sensitivity. However, their anti‐impact efficiency is the lowest in this study although they have a positive effect on performance of the corresponding PBXs. PA and PIB matrices markedly decrease thermal stability of nitramines, the anti‐impact influences of PIB‐binders are better than those of PA‐binders, while PA‐binders have a higher anti‐friction effect and slightly less negative influence on the performance of the PBXs in comparison with PIB mixtures. The polydimethyl‐siloxane matrix has a neutral effect on thermal stability of the nitramines studied, it has an influence on the volume thermochemistry of detonation comparable with that of fluoroelastomers although it does not provide comparable performance, and its corresponding PBXs have optimum sensitivity parameters.     

Partial Reparametrization of the BKW Equation of State for DNAN‐Based Melt‐Cast Explosives

DNAN‐based melt‐cast explosives are a type of new, insensitive munitions (IM) explosives. Quickly determining munitions’ explosive properties is extremely important during the formulation design stage. The aim of this study was to partially reparameterize BKW‐EOS (only β and κ were reparameterized on the basis of the parameters (α , β , κ , and θ ) of classical BKW‐RDX set and BKW‐TNT set) to more accurately predict the properties of DNAN‐based melt‐cast explosives. A new set of parameters β and κ was obtained (β =0.19, κ =9.81) according to measured detonation velocity and detonation pressure for ideal DNAN‐based melt‐cast formulations (DNAN/RDX and DNAN/HMX). For non‐ideal DNAN‐based melt‐cast formulations (DNAN/RDX/Al and DNAN/HMX/Al), aluminum oxidation degree was first determined according to the measured detonation heat; then, another new set of parameters β and κ was obtained in the same way as the ideal formulations (β =0.24, κ =8.5). The predicted detonation properties with BKW reparametrization for DNAN‐based melt‐cast explosives agreed with the measured data.     

Strength of Commercial Explosives

Strength is determined for mixtures of Amatol (79/21 AN/TNT) with various additives and mixtures of ammonium nitrate and aluminum of various compositions. The results obtained and literature data are used to obtain a formula for calculating the relative strength of commercial explosives containing two parameters — explosion heat and volume of explosion products. The strength of mixtures of ammonium nitrate and aluminum (under powerful initiation leading to overcompressed detonation) exceeds the strength of the reference explosive (Amatol) when the aluminum content is 10—40%. In this case, maximum strength is observed for a mixture containing 30% aluminum. The experimental results and calculations using the proposed formula are in satisfactory agreement.     

Density distribution at the detonation front of cylindrical charges of small diameter

A synchrotron radiation based technique is use to study the density distribution at the detonation front and its neighborhood for condensed explosives. Particular data are obtained on the structure of the detonation front in TNT, RDX, and an alloy of TNT with RDX; a comparison of the data with those obtained using different techniques confirms the correctness of the technique. It is concluded that adequate information on the structure of the chemical-reaction zone can be obtained for charges of small diameter. At the same time, it is shown that the Chapman-Jouguet parameters for such charges are far from their predicted values for an infinite medium. The results of the work, including those on the curvature of the detonation front in charges of small diameter, supplement the existing knowledge of the detonation transformation in condensed explosives. __________ Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 91–99, March–April, 2007.     

Critical diameter and spin effects in detonation of cast and liquid explosives

Results of experimental measurement of critical diameter d_cr, of cast charges of TNT/RDX, TNT/potassium picrate, TNT/PETN, and liquid solutions of dinitrotoluene in bisnitroxyethylnitramine are presented. The data obtained are compared with the results of previous investigations of spin detonation waves in the systems under consideration. For both TNT-based cast charges and liquid mixtures, the domains were registered on the dependence of critical diameter on content in which d_cr remained invariant. These areas coincide with the range of sensitizer content in the mixtures in which spin phenomena are observed. Experimental results corroborate a previous conclusion that spin waves favor spreading of the general detonation process in cast systems and prevent detonation of liquid explosives.Mendeleev Russian Institute of Chemical Engineering, 125190 Moscow. Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 161–165, March–April, 1995.     

Relative Explosive Strength of Some Explosive Mixtures Containing Urea and/or Peroxides

Several mixtures, based on urea derivatives and some inorganic oxidants, including also alumina, were studied by means of ballistic mortar techniques with TNT as the reference standard. The detonation pressure(P), detonation velocity(D), detonation energy(Q), and volume of gaseous product at standard temperature and pressure (STP), V, were calculated using EXPLO5 V6.3 thermochemical code. The performance of the mixtures studied was discussed in relation to their thermal reactivity, determined by means of differential thermal analysis (DTA). It is shown that the presence of hydrogen peroxide in the form of its complex with urea (i.e. as UHP) has a positive influence on the explosive strength of the corresponding mixtures which is linked to the hydroxy-radical formation in the mixtures during their initiation reaction. These radicals might initiate (at least partially) powdered aluminum into oxidation in the CJ plane of the detonation wave. Mixtures containing UHP and magnesium are dangerous because of potential auto-ignition.