High-resolution conductivity profile measurements in detonating pressed explosive

Abstract

An improved method for measuring the electric conductivity profile behind the detonation front in dense high explosives has been developed, which provides for a spatial resolution better than 0.1 mm. In comparison to the existing techniques, the proposed method ensures a more than tenfold increase in the range of conductivity measurements. The conductivity profile of detonating RDX exhibits a peak with an amplitude of ≈2 Ω−1 cm−1 and a width of about 1 mm, in agreement with known data on the chemical reaction zone thickness. The peak is followed by a “tail,” in which the conductivity is several times lower. In samples with a density of 1.75–1.8 g/cm3 (approaching the theoretical compaction limit), the conductivity peak exhibits a sharp increase in amplitude (up to 5–6 Ω−1 cm−1), while the peak width decreases to 0.5 mm.