PHYSICAL NATURE OF PROPELLANT SENSITIVITY.
Abstract
A propellant's 'sensitivity' is the result of an intimate relation between a chemical reaction and a change in phase. Practically, slight additions of energy to an unstable system cause a complicated series of chemical reactions from which the role of vaporization is difficult to isolate. The several elements of liquid integrity are demonstrated in experiments where pure and inert isolated (in glass) liquid systems were placed in states of negative pressure, that is, hydrostatic tension. Physical interactions are apparent by disruption of this state and the effects of thermal and mechanical influences upon bubble nucleation, vaporization, condensation, and subsequent purity were qualitatively examined. These results were confirmed by recent literature. Localized superheating demolished glass equipment by liquid inertial effects, clearly demonstrating the principle that explosive responses can be physical, as well as chemical, in nature. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 09, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0681529
Entities
People
- Ted A. Erikson
Organizations
- IIT Research Institute