Some Properties of Australian Produced Explosive Composition H-6

Abstract

The aluminized explosive H-6 was developed in the USA to produce an explosive filling based on RDX/TNT but with enhanced blast characteristics. Currently H-6 is made in Australia at St Marys Munitions Filling Factory (MFF) New South Wales, as a fill for Mk 82 and Mk 84 bombs. H-6 also has wide usage in the USA and UK as a torpedo filling and consequently is a potential candidate for a similar role in Australia. This report describes an investigation to characterize the physical nature of cast H-6 and to determine its explosive properties particularly stability and sensitivity. The stability measurements were made tests readily available at MRL and designed to provide information to assist understanding the hazard profile of the explosive during fabrication, evaluation and use. The sensitivity tests selected were also readily available at MRL and provide information on the hazard profile and performance characteristics. Further performance data was obtained from some detonation parameter measurements. The results are compared to USA H-6 data and, where appropriate, to results from similar tests on Composition B because of the wide experience obtained in handling and fabricating charges made from Composition B.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1987
Accession Number
ADA194351

Entities

People

  • L. Mcvay
  • T. Bussell

Organizations

  • Defence Science and Technology Group

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aluminized Explosives
  • Aluminum
  • Australia
  • Chemistry
  • Combustion
  • Detonations
  • Electron Microscopy
  • Energetic Materials
  • Exothermic Reactions
  • Explosives
  • Ignition
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Microscopes
  • Microscopy
  • Test Methods
  • Transition Temperature

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