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Research and Development of High-performance Explosives
Published on: February 20, 2016
Primary explosives: electrostatic discharge initiation, additive effect and its relation to thermal and explosive
M B Talawar1, A P Agrawal, M Anniyappan
1High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune 411 021, India.
Journal of Hazardous Materials
|May 18, 2006
Summary
Static electricity poses a significant hazard to primary explosives, requiring careful management during handling. This study quantizes electrostatic sensitivity, offering crucial data for mitigating ignition risks in explosive manufacturing and processing.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Explosives Safety
Background:
- Static electricity generation, accumulation, and discharge are inherent risks in handling all explosives.
- Highly sensitive primary explosives require guarding against low-energy static hazards (2-3 mJ), particularly during manufacturing and filling operations.
- Electrostatic sensitivity testing provides vital data for assessing and reducing static initiation hazards.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present electrostatic sensitivity data (E(SE0)) for primary explosives, including nickel/cobalt hydrazinium nitrate, silver azide, lead azide, and mercury salt of 5-nitro tetrazole.
- To investigate the effect of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) coating on the electrostatic sensitivity of these explosives.
- To explore potential correlations between spark energy and the thermal, detonation, and mechanical properties of primary explosives.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of electrostatic spark sensitivity using zero ignition probability data (E(SE0)).
- Testing of coated and uncoated samples of primary explosives.
- Analysis of electrostatic spark sensitivity order and correlation with material properties.
Main Results:
- The electrostatic spark sensitivity of primary explosives decreased in the order: AgN3 = NHN > PbN6 > MNT > CoHN > BNCP.
- Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) coated samples exhibited increased spark sensitivity compared to uncoated samples, following the same sensitivity order.
- A potential correlation between spark energy and material properties (thermal, detonation, mechanical) was suggested.
Conclusions:
- The study quantifies electrostatic sensitivity for key primary explosives, providing essential safety data.
- PVP coating unexpectedly increases spark sensitivity, possibly due to dielectric properties or exothermic decomposition.
- Understanding these sensitivities is crucial for safe handling and processing of energetic materials.
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