Deflagration to detonation transition in weakly confined conditions for a type of potentially novel green primary explosive: Al/Fe2O3/RDX hybrid nanocomposites

Abstract

The properties of the combustion and deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) of Al/Fe2O3/RDX hybrid nanocomposites, a type of potentially novel lead-free primary explosives, were tested in weakly confined conditions, and the interaction of Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite and RDX in the DDT process was studied in detail. Results show that the amount of the Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite has a great effect on the DDT properties of Al/Fe2O3/RDX nanocomposites. The addition of Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite to RDX apparently improves the firing properties of RDX. A small amount of Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite greatly increases the initial combustion velocity of Al/Fe2O3/RDX nanocomposites, accelerating their DDT process. When the contents of Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite are less than 20 wt%, the DDT mechanisms of Al/Fe2O3/RDX nanocomposites follow the distinct abrupt mode, and are consistent with that of RDX, though their DDT processes are different. The RDX added into the Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite increases the latter's peak combustion velocity and makes it generate the DDT when the RDX content is at least 10 wt%. RDX plays a key role in the shock compressive combustion, the formation and the properties of the DDT in the flame propagation of nanocomposites. Compared with RDX, the fast DDT of Al/Fe2O3/RDX nanocomposites could be obtained by adjusting the chemical constituents of nanocomposites.