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A Device for Testing Thermal Impact Sensitivity of High Explosives
Author(s) -
Zhang Gengxin,
Weeks Brandon L.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.56
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1521-4087
pISSN - 0721-3115
DOI - 10.1002/prep.201000030
Subject(s) - explosive material , materials science , drop (telecommunication) , sensitivity (control systems) , nuclear engineering , thermal , environmental science , composite material , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , thermodynamics , environmental chemistry , mechanical engineering , electronic engineering , engineering , physics , organic chemistry
A drop‐weight instrument is described to investigate the impact sensitivity of high explosives at elevated temperatures. This test is typically performed to discover potential safety aspects of either newly synthesized materials of unknown behavior. Normally, drop‐weight impact sensitivity tests are conducted at room temperature, since high explosives are often stored or handled at room temperature. The instrument described here has the capability of heating the samples from ambient to 300 °C prior to impact. The thermal impact sensitivities of PETN, TATP, HMX, and silver azide (AgN 3 ) as a function of temperature are obtained. The phase transition of HMX can clearly be observed by a significant decrease in the impact height in situ.