Table of Contents
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Historical Overview 1
1.2 New Developments 7
1.2.1 Polymer-Bonded Explosives 7
1.2.2 New High (Secondary) Explosives 9
1.2.3 New Primary Explosives 18
1.2.4 New Oxidizers for Solid Rocket Motors 21
1.3 Definitions 24
1.4 Combustion, Deflagration, Detonation - A Short Introduction 28
1.4.1 Fire and Combustion 28
1.4.2 Deflagration and Detonation 31
2 Classification of Energetic Materials 33
2.1 Primary Explosives 33
2.2 High (Secondary) Explosives 35
2.3 Propellant Charges 42
2.4 Rocket Propellants 44
2.4.1 Chemical Thermal Propulsion (CTP) 55
2.5 Pyrotechnics 56
2.5.1 Detonators, Initiators, Delay Compositions and Heat-Generating Pyrotechnics 56
2.5.2 Light-Generating Pyrotechnics 59
2.5.3 Decoy Flares 65
2.5.4 Smoke Munitions 71
2.5.5 Near-Infrared (NIR) Compositions 77
3 Detonation, Detonation Velocity and Detonation Pressure 79
4 Thermodynamics 83
4.1 Theoretical Basis 83
4.2 Computational Methods 89
4.2.1 Thermodynamics 89
4.2.2 Detonation Parameters 92
4.2.3 Combustion Parameters 96
4.2.4 Example: Theoretical Evaluation of New Solid Rocket Propellants 101
4.2.5 Example: EXPLO5 Calculation of the Gun Propellant Properties of Single, Double and Triple Base Propellants 108
5 Initiation 111
6 Experimental Characterization of Explosives 115
6.1 Sensitivities 115
6.2 Long-Term Stabilities 120
6.3 Insensitive Munitions 122
6.4 Gap Test 124
6.5 Classification 125
7 Special Aspects of Explosives 129
7.1 Shaped Charges 129
7.2 Detonation Velocities 135
7.3 Gurney Model 140
7.3.1 Example: Calculation of the Gurney Velocity for a General Purpose Bomb 145
8 Correlation between the Electrostatic Potential and the Impact Sensitivity 147
8.1 Electrostatic Potentials 147
8.2 Volume-Based Sensitivities 150
9 Design of Novel Energetic Materials 153
9.1 Classification 153
9.2 Polynitrogen Compounds 155
9.3 High-Nitrogen Compounds 160
9.3.1 Tetrazole and Denitramide Chemistry 161
9.3.2 Tetrazole, Tetrazine and Trinitroethyl Chemistry 168
9.3.3 Ionic Liquids 173
9.4 Dinitroguanidine Derivatives 177
9.5 Co-Crystallization 179
9.6 Future Energetics 180
10 Synthesis of Energetic Materials 185
10.1 Molecular Building Blocks 185
10.2 Nitration Reactions 186
10.3 Processing 191
11 Safe Handling of Energetic Materials in the Laboratory 193
11.1 General 193
11.2 Protective Equipment 194
11.3 Laboratory Equipment 196
12 Energetic Materials of the Future 199
13 Related Topics 205
13.1 Thermobaric Weapons 205
13.2 Agent Defeat Weapons 207
13.3 Nanothermites 209
13.3.1 Example: Iron Oxide/Aluminum Thermite 215
13.3.2 Example: Copper Oxide/Aluminum Thermite 216
13.3.3 Example: Molybdenum Trioxide/Aluminum Thermite 217
13.4 Homemade Explosives 218
14 Study Questions 219
15 Literature 223
16 Appendix 233
Index 247
