Characterization of Amatex-20K

Abstract

Amatex 20-K is a modification of the proposed alternate fill Amatex- 20. The ammonium nitrate (AN) prills in Amatex-20 are replaced by prills of a solid solution of 10% potassium nitrate (KN) in AN. This substitution changes the temperature at which the large volume change transition of AN occurs from 32 C to 12-15 C, but does not completely eliminate the problem. The chemical and thermal stability of Amatex-20K has been given a 'first look' survey via DTA/ TGA, DSC fast and slow cookoff, and isothermal decomposition techniques. With the exception of a less violent. reaction occurring at a lower temperature on fast cookoff, all of the tests suggest that the substitution of AN/KN prills for the AN prills in the RDX/TNT matrix is detrimental to the stability of Amatex. More work will be needed, particularly in the isothermal decomposition and slow cookoff areas, to make a sure judgment of the desirability of the substitution.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1976
Accession Number
ADA026087

Entities

People

  • Carl M. Anderson
  • Jack M. Pakulak Jr.

Organizations

  • Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air
  • Chemical Kinetics
  • Chemistry
  • Decomposition
  • Energy
  • Equations
  • Explosives
  • Heat Of Activation
  • Materials
  • Munitions
  • Ordnance Laboratories
  • Phase Diagrams
  • Physical Chemistry
  • Solid Solutions
  • Thermal Properties
  • Thermal Stability
  • Transition Temperature

Readers

  • Combustion Dynamics and Shock Wave Physics.
  • Economics
  • Organic Chemistry