Energy output performance of aluminized explosive containing Al/PTFE reactive materials

Area of Science:

• Energetic Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• CL-20 is a high-performance explosive.
• Al/PTFE (Aluminum/Polytetrafluoroethylene) is a reactive material with potential applications in explosives.
• Understanding the detonation behavior and combustion products of CL-20/Al/PTFE formulations is crucial for developing advanced energetic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate CL-20 based explosive formulations incorporating Al/PTFE reactive materials.
• To investigate the effects of varying Al/PTFE mass percentages and charge structures on quasi-static pressure (QSP) and peak explosion temperature.
• To analyze the solid residue products to confirm the feasibility and combustion characteristics of Al/PTFE in CL-20 explosives.

Main Methods:

• Design of CL-20/Al/PTFE explosive formulations with varying compositions.
• Utilizing a self-designed closed explosion test device to measure quasi-static pressure (QSP) and equilibrium temperature.
• Analysis of solid residue products using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) to determine composition and morphology.

Main Results:

• CL-20 can successfully detonate formulations with high Al/PTFE content.
• The mass ratio of 75/25 Al/PTFE yielded the highest QSP, reaching up to 0.310 MPa.
• Equilibrium temperatures were highest for Al/PTFE ratios of 75/25 and 70/30, with specific samples reaching over 900 °C.
• XRD analysis indicated solid residues primarily composed of Al, α-Al2O3, and γ-Al2O3, with carbon existing in a gaseous state.

Conclusions:

• The incorporation of Al/PTFE reactive materials into CL-20 based explosives is feasible.
• Specific Al/PTFE mass ratios (e.g., 75/25) and charge structures significantly influence QSP and equilibrium temperatures.
• The combustion behavior, particularly the gaseous state of carbon, provides valuable insights for the design of advanced aluminized explosives.