The effects of sodium chloride on the explosive performance of ammonium nitrate

Abstract

Sodium chloride (NaCl) was added to the ammonium nitrate (AN) by different mixing methods. The heat sensitivity performance and the explosive performance of AN and ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) were studied by using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), the UN gap test and Koenen test. The results show that: When AN contained 15 % (solution mixing) and 35 % (mechanical mixing) additive, AN maximum exothermic peak increased from 286.75 to 300.63 and 307.83 °C, respectively. For the mechanical mixing, the critical values of the UN gap test and Koenen test AN were 35 and 40 %. The ANFO both were 50 %; for the solution mixing, AN were 15 and 40 %, the critical value of the UN gap test, ANFO was 25 %. AN and ANFO contain more than the critical value of additive, the AN and ANFO would not be detonated.