Effect of Titanium and Zirconium Hydrides on the Parameters of Confined Explosions of RDX‐Based Explosives – A Comparison to Aluminium

Abstract

AbstractOverpressure and temperature histories of explosions of RDX‐based non‐ideal explosives containing 15, 30 and 45 % of Al, (Al/ZrH2), TiH2 and ZrH2 were measured in a closed chamber filled with argon and air. The solid post‐explosion products were analysed to determine their elemental and phase composition and characterise their morphology. The experimental explosion parameters were compared with those obtained from thermochemical calculations. The results obtained indicate that all the additives react both with the RDX detonation products (anaerobic reactions) and with ambient atmospheric oxygen (aerobic reactions). Explosions of 50‐g charges of the tested compositions in the chamber filled with air produces enough heat to increase the temperature of the explosion products to 2500–3000 K and maintain it above 2000 K for 300 ms, at least. Consequently melted droplets of the metals burn in gaseous RDX detonation products and next in the atmospheric oxygen forming spheroidal particles of zirconium and titanium oxides. In the inert atmosphere explosions, the temperatures higher than 2000 K last approx. 20 ms, and are reached only when aluminized explosives are detonated. Regardless the atmosphere in the chamber, the highest QSP and temperature values were determined for explosives containing Al powder, and the lowest ones for those with titanium hydride.