Studies on compatibility of energetic materials by thermal methods

Mazzeu, Maria Alice Carvalho; Mattos, Elizabeth da Costa; Iha, Koshun

doi:10.5028/jatm.2010.02015358

Abstract:

The chemical compatibility of explosives, pyrotechnics and propellants with those materials is studied to evaluate potential hazards when in contact with other materials during production, storage and handling. Compatibility can be studied by several thermal methods as DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), TG (Thermogravimetry), VST (Vacuum stability test) and others. The test methods and well defined criteria are the most important elements when a compatibility study is being accomplished. In this paper, the compatibility of two very important high explosives used in ammunition, RDX (Cyclo-1,3,5-trimethylene-2,4,6-trinitramine) and HMX (Cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine) was studied with the materials: fluoroelastomer (Viton) and powdered aluminum (Al), using DSC and VST methods. The criteria to judge the compatibility between materials is based on a standardization agreement (STANAG 4147, 2001), and the final conclusion is that explosives and this materials are compatible, but in DSC it was observed that the peak of decomposition temperature of the admixture of RDX with Al decreased in 3º C and another peak appeared after the decomposition peak.

Keywords:
Compatibility; Energetic materials; Differential scanning calorimetry; Vacuum stability test

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REFERENCES

Antic, G., Dzingalasevic, V., 2006, "Characteristics of cast PBX with aluminum", Scientific Technical Review, Vol. 56, N 3-4, pp. 52-58.
Chovancová, M., Zeman, S., 2007, "Study of initiation reactivity of some plastic explosives by vacuum stability test and non-isothermal differential thermal analysis", Thermochimica Acta, Vol. 460, pp. 67-76.
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Klerk, W.P.C., Schrader, M.A., Steen, A.C., 1999, "Compatibility testing of energetic materials, which technique?", Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, Vol. 56, pp. 1123-1131.
Klerk, W., Meer, N. V., Eerlingh, R., 1995, "Microcalorimetric study applied to the comparison of compatibility tests (VST and IST) of polymers and propellants", Thermochimica Acta, Vol. 269-270, pp. 231-243.
Mathieu, J., Stucki, H., 2004, "Military high explosives", Chimia, Vol. 58, pp. 383-389.
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Sorensen, D.N., Knott, D.L., Bell, R.F., 2008, "Two-gram DTA as a thermal compatibility tool", Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, Vol. 91, pp. 305-309.
STANAG 4147 (Ed. 2), 2001, "Chemical compatibility of ammunition components with explosives (non-nuclear applications)".
Vogelsanger, B., 2004, "Chemical stability, compatibility and shelf life of explosives", Chimia, Vol. 58, pp. 401-408.
Yan, Q-L. et al., 2008, "Compatibility study of trans-1,4,5,8-tetranitro-1,4,5,8-tetraazadecalin (TNAD) with some energetic components and inert materials", Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 160, pp. 529-534.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
Jan-Apr 2010

History

Received
23 Mar 2010
Accepted
02 Apr 2010

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

[1] Antic, G., Dzingalasevic, V., 2006, "Characteristics of cast PBX with aluminum", Scientific Technical Review, Vol. 56, N 3-4, pp. 52-58.

[2] Chovancová, M., Zeman, S., 2007, "Study of initiation reactivity of some plastic explosives by vacuum stability test and non-isothermal differential thermal analysis", Thermochimica Acta, Vol. 460, pp. 67-76.

[3] Keicher, T., Happ, A., Kretschmer, A., 1999, "Influence of aluminium/ammonium perchlorate on the performance of underwater explosives", Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, Vol. 24, p. 140-143.

[4] Klerk, W.P.C., Schrader, M.A., Steen, A.C., 1999, "Compatibility testing of energetic materials, which technique?", Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, Vol. 56, pp. 1123-1131.

[5] Klerk, W., Meer, N. V., Eerlingh, R., 1995, "Microcalorimetric study applied to the comparison of compatibility tests (VST and IST) of polymers and propellants", Thermochimica Acta, Vol. 269-270, pp. 231-243.

[6] Mathieu, J., Stucki, H., 2004, "Military high explosives", Chimia, Vol. 58, pp. 383-389.

[7] May, F.G.J., 1978, "Australian test procedures for determination of compatibility and stability of military explosives", Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 2, pp. 127-135.

[8] Meyer, R., Köhler, J., Homburg, A., 2002, "Explosives", 5th ed (Verlag GmbH, Weinheim), Alemanha, Wiley-Vch.

[9] Pinheiro, G.F.M., 2003, "Decomposição térmica de explosivos", Tese de doutorado, Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica, São José dos Campos, SP, Brasil, 178p.

[10] Silva, G. et al., 2003, "Estudo cinético da decomposição térmica do α HMX por calorimetria exploratória diferencial", Anais da Associação Brasileira de Química, Vol. 1, No 2, pp. 10-12.

[11] Sorensen, D.N., Knott, D.L., Bell, R.F., 2008, "Two-gram DTA as a thermal compatibility tool", Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, Vol. 91, pp. 305-309.

[12] STANAG 4147 (Ed. 2), 2001, "Chemical compatibility of ammunition components with explosives (non-nuclear applications)".

[13] Vogelsanger, B., 2004, "Chemical stability, compatibility and shelf life of explosives", Chimia, Vol. 58, pp. 401-408.

[14] Yan, Q-L. et al., 2008, "Compatibility study of trans-1,4,5,8-tetranitro-1,4,5,8-tetraazadecalin (TNAD) with some energetic components and inert materials", Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 160, pp. 529-534.

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