An updated technique to obtain explosive kinetics data on microsecond timescales.

Area of Science:

• Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Engineering

Background:

• Limited methods exist for determining time-to-explosion data for new explosives with precise temperature control.
• The historical Wenograd technique (1960s) rapidly heated explosives but was restricted to melt-castable materials due to narrow needle gauges and lacked modern diagnostic capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an improved method for measuring the time-to-explosion of energetic materials under well-defined temperature inputs.
• To overcome the limitations of previous techniques by incorporating modern diagnostics and computational modeling.

Main Methods:

• Development of the High Explosives Initiation Time (HEIT) test using a 250 J pulsed power system.
• Adaptation of the Wenograd approach using larger gauge needles, optical diagnostics, computational modeling, and advanced resistance/rupture measurements.
• Application of the HEIT test to pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) for preliminary rate information.

Main Results:

• Successful development of the HEIT test, extending the capabilities of rapid heating calorimetry for explosives.
• Demonstration of the HEIT test's applicability to non-melt-castable explosives.
• Generation of preliminary kinetic data for PETN.

Conclusions:

• The HEIT test provides a viable and enhanced method for obtaining critical initiation data for novel energetic materials.
• This technique facilitates safer and more efficient early-stage development of new explosives.
• The HEIT test represents a significant advancement in the field of explosives science and safety.