Initiation of condensed explosives by compression of the surrounding gas

Abstract

The rapid compression of gas in a simple piston and cylinder apparatus provides a convenient ignition source for a condensed explosive in contact with the gas. A photomultiplier cell is used to detect initiation of an explosive in the final volume of the cylinder. Partial ignitions are never obtained with tetrazene nor with lead azide, but are fairly common with the other explosive examined at compression ratios intermediate between those always, and those never, causing complete decomposition. The initiating explosives examined are ignited at final gas temperatures between 300 and 1000°C. It is much more difficult to ignite the secondary explosives nitroglycerine and pentaerythritol tetranitrate and complete explosions are rare; the chemical nature of the gas is important.