Oblique Impacts and Friction of HMX and/or TATB‐based PBXs

Abstract

Transportation, handling, vibrations can lead to dynamic loadings requiring the characterization of the safety of plastic‐bonded explosives (PBX). One of the addressed situations is the fall of explosive on a surface. Knowing that initiation can occur at a lower height during a vertical fall of a projectile on an inclined target than on a horizontal one, devices were developed to determine the critical thresholds. In this paper, data obtained on four HMX and/or TATB‐based PBXs using pendulum drop configurations are detailed. Two analytical models are compared to estimate the heat released by friction at the interface. The model proposed in this paper yields the better agreement with data, and with finite element numerical simulations of the oblique impact on a given PBX. Lastly, the mechanical dissipation at the interface is estimated using this model and the simulations. This paper confirms that PBX/target friction cannot be the heating mechanism leading to initiation during oblique impacts.

Dynamic damage and non‐shock ignition behavior of polymer bonded explosive under lower velocity impact

“…Polymer-bonded explosives (PBXs) possess high energy, low susceptibility to mechanical damage, excellent mechanical and processing properties, and are widely used in modern military, aerospace, deep well prospecting and other fields [1]. In scenarios such as transportation and storage, minor impacts (such as dropping, collision, friction) on PBX can lead to accidental ignition [2][3][4], which in turn can cause accidents resulting in casualties and economic losses. Therefore, it is important to study the accidental ignition of explosives under lower velocities impacts.…”

Dissociative adsorption modes of TATB on the Al (111) surface: a DFT investigation

“…Thus, signicant experimental and theoretical investigations have been focused on TATB. [7][8][9] Numerous investigations have been focused on its thermal decomposition and structural details, and several possibilities have been introduced for the decomposition pathways of TATB; however, the universal mechanism of these reactions is still unknown.…”