ISSN:
1089-7550
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
This paper describes a study of the decomposition of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) using a high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The decomposition was induced by fracturing single crystals and by laser irradiation. In the fracture experiments, the energy input was varied from the lowest level necessary to produce smooth cleavage surfaces to high-energy loading which produced rough conchoidal fracture surfaces. In the laser experiments, a ruby laser was used in both normal and Q-switched modes, and again the energy input was varied. For all the various experiments, the reaction products were analyzed and reaction schemes are proposed. It is shown that low-energy fracture causes decomposition which follows the same reaction pathway as that induced thermally, with initial failure at the RO-NO2 bond. However, high-energy fracture results in the breaking of the C-C bonds. Two reaction pathways were observed with the laser irradiation. The first is the normal thermal process, but evidence was also found for failure at the R-ONO2 bond. The reaction continued for several milliseconds after the end of the laser pulse, suggesting a "partial'' ignition of the explosive. In other experiments, the conditions for laser initiation of PETN in vacuum were investigated. Explosion occurred when Q-switched pulses of 1 J energy were applied to a molten layer of PETN.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.336743
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