Laser initiation of PETN-based composites with additives of ultrafine aluminium particles

Abstract

This paper describes the study on the dependence of the critical energy density of the explosive decomposition of PETN on the mass concentration of the additives of ultrafine Al particles (100–120 nm) in the range of 0.025–1% under the influence of the first and second harmonics of a neodymium laser (12 ns, 1064 and 532 nm). It is shown that the critical energy of the explosion initiation by the first and second harmonics of the laser radiation reaches a minimum value at the same absorption rates, but different concentrations of additives. The photoacoustic method is used to show that, as the laser energy radiation is absorbed, the pressure amplitude in the heated layer reaches a maximum value when the concentration of additives corresponds to the minimum value of the critical energy density.