Novel Experimental, Theoretical, and Calculational Approaches to Understanding the Detonation of Explosives

Abstract

Report of results of research on the initial stage of detonation is made. Experimental results involve location of a heretofore undetected intramolecular mode in RDX and confirmation of prior findings on the Raman scattering of HMX. Preliminary Brillouin scattering studies have permitted experimental determination of approximate values of all components of the HMX crystals' stiffness tensor. The results of a mechanochemical theory are presented. The model account for the initial stage of detonation involving molecular decomposition. Symmetry arguments based on the theory show that high symmetry molecules will be inherently less stable under compression than higher symmetry ones. The mechanochemical model also offers a direct explanation of the role of hot spots in detonation.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 14, 2003
Accession Number
ADA416244

Entities

People

  • Craig J. Eckhardt

Organizations

  • University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Chlorides
  • Detonations
  • Diffraction
  • Energetic Materials
  • Explosives
  • Ground State
  • Hot Spots
  • Materials
  • Mechanical Energy
  • Molecules
  • Physical Properties
  • Raman Scattering
  • Refractive Index
  • Scattering
  • Shock Waves
  • Spectra
  • Symmetry

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Quantum spin resonance or Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy.
  • Rocket Propulsion.