Preparation and Characterization of a New High-Performance Plastic Explosive in Comparison with Traditional Types

EPX-2R is a high-performance plastic explosive produced for different applications. EPX-2R is based on RDX (1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane) bonded by the elastic matrix of the softened styrene butadiene binder. A computerizing mixer plastograph was used for the production of EPX-2R. The internal energy of combustion was measured and used to determine the enthalpy of formation. Friction and impact sensitivities were measured. The velocity of detonation was determined experimentally, and the detonation properties were calculated by the EXPLO 5 code. For comparison, traditional plastic explosives, composition C-4, Semtex 10, Formex P1, EPX-1, and Sprängdeg m/46, were studied. It was concluded that the velocity of detonation of EPX-2R was higher than the studied samples except composition C-4, while its sensitivity is the lowest. Interesting inversely proportional relationship between the measured internal energy of combustion and the calculated heat of detonation was observed.

Characterization and Quantification of Polymer Content in Plastic Explosives Using FT-IR Techniques

High explosives are tools used in different areas of research and are critical components in conventional and nuclear weapons. PBXs (plastic explosives) were developed to reduce the sensitivity of explosives, and are widely used in both applications, civil and military, where high performance is required. As the weapons may be used in aggressive thermal and mechanical environments, it is important to characterize the PBXs, in order to know its behavior and properties. Therefore, contributing for research of PBXs, is discussed in this chapter a methodology to characterize and to quantify the polymer content in PBX by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), using the High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Thermogravimetry (TG) as reference techniques to quantitative method. The proposed methodology for quantification of polymers in PBX uses the technique FT-IR of reflection ATR and UATR, being faster than the usual methodologies and eliminating the disadvantage of chemical residues generation.

Application of cis-1,3,4,6-Tetranitrooctahydroimidazo-[4,5d] Imidazole (BCHMX) in EPX-1 Explosive

cis-1,3,4,6-Tetranitrooctahydroimidazo-[4,5 d]imidazole (BCHMX) has been studied as explosive filler to replace pentaerythritol tetra-nitrate (PETN) inEPX1 explosive. BCHMX with different particle sizes was bonded by thermoplastic binder plasticised by dibutyl phthalate to obtain BCHMX-EPX. Heat of combustion was measured. Impact energy and friction force of initiation were determined. Velocity of detonation was measured, while the detonation characteristics were calculated by thermodynamic code named EXPLO 5. For comparison, the detonation characteristics of some commercial plastic explosives such asEPX-1, SEMTEX 10 and FORMEX P1were also studied. It was concluded that BCHMX-EPX has the highest detonation characteristics of all the studied plastic explosives and its sensitivity is in the same level of the studied traditional plastic explosives. BCHMX-EPX has the highest decomposition temperature of all the studied samples. The mutual relationship obtained from the experimental and calculated results indicates the compatibility of the calculated results with the experimental measurements.