DESENSITIZATION OF AVAILABLE HIGH-ENERGY NF COMPOUNDS
Abstract
A literature survey covering 54 NF and PFG compounds, an extensive empirical desensitization program on selected model PFG compounds, and a limited fundamental investigation of explosion phenomena have indicated that high-energy NF compounds are inherently ultra-sensitive and cannot be made insensitive except at an unacceptable sacrifice of energy. It appears to be futile to search for insensitive high-energy structures or dramatically effective desensitization techniques. Improvements can be made by both these approaches, but they are an order of magnitude smaller than what is needed. Nevertheless, it appears that high-impulse propellants based on PFG compounds can be made with no greater impact sensitivity than conventional double-base composites. There is, however, no reason to expect that card-gap sensitivity can be similarly improved. An improved thermal sensitivity test has been developed which yields activation energies and frequency factors from actual exploding condensed phase samples. The experimental procedure is an improvement of the Picatinny Arsenal Autoignition Test, and the data are unfolded by the treatments of Zinn and Mader and Frank-Kamenetskii. Calculated values for minimum explosion temperature are in good agreement with measured ones.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0379575
Entities
People
- J. F. Coburn Jr.
- Jill A. Brown
- Michael D. Collins