Effect of energy content of the nitraminic plastic bonded explosives on their performance and sensitivity characteristics

Abstract

Information about the forty nine nitraminic plastic bonded explosives (PBXs) and different nitramineswere collected. Fillers of these PBXs are nitramines 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX) andb-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5-tetrazocane (b-HMX), cis-1,3,4,6-tetranitro-octahydroimidazo-[4,5-d]imidazole (bicy-clo-HMX, BCHMX) andε-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (ε-HNIW, CL-20)which are bonded by polyfluoro-elastomers, polydimethyl-siloxane, poly-glycidyl azide, poly-isobutylene, polystyrene-butadiene, poly-acrylonitrile-butadiene and hydroxyl-terminated poly-butadiene in addition to a melt cast compositions based on 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene. For thirty two of thesePBXs the relationships are specified and analyzed between heats of their combustion and relativeexplosive strengths; by means of these relationships it might be possible to estimate, which groupings inthe macromolecule of binder could be liable to their primaryfission in the PBXs initiation. Similarly, forforty two of these explosives, the relationships are described and analyzed between their enthalpies offormation and impact sensitivities; here is especially attention paid to PBXsfilled by BCHMX. Specificrate constants from Vacuum Stability Test (VST) of four nitramines and twenty PBXs are introduced intorelationships with their enthalpies of formation. Regarding to all the mentioned cases, increasing ofenergy content of the studied explosives leads to increase of the relative explosive strength or initiationreactivity, respectively. Exception with the opposite trend, the outputs of VST are for BCHMX, where inPBXs are matrices with the esteric plasticizers or the energetic poly-glycidyl azide. Admixture of RDX orHMX, respectively, into the BCHX PBXs gives ternary PBXs whose thermal stability, in the sense ofapplied VST, is higher comparing to the original binary explosives.