Stability of the detonation front in liquid explosives

Abstract

1. An experimental study has been made of the stability of the detonation front of series of liquid explosives: nitromethane, glycidol nitrate, a mixture of nitric acid and dichloroethane, tetranitromethane, and glycerol dinitrate and trinitrate. 2. In tetranitromethane, glycerol dinitrate and trinitrate we observe stability of the normal detonation front. By direct experimental measurement of the mass velocity profile in the reaction zone in tetranitromethane we established the absence of a clearly expressed induction period. 3. In certain explosives with an unstable front in the normal regime we observed a smooth front in overcompression (nitromethane, mixture of dichlorethane and nitric acid). 4. The reasons for the stability of the detonation front are discussed on the basis of a consideration of the reaction behind the detonation front in relation to the nature of the development of thermal explosion.