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An Investigation into the Surface Skidding Response of PBX 9501 and PBX 9502

Journal Article · · Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [1]
  1. Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock, TX (United States)
  2. Pantex Plant (PTX), Amarillo, TX (United States)
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While polymer-bonded explosives, PBX, have reduced sensitivity to ignition from mechanical shock or heating compared to conventional explosives, the investigation of the mechanical ignition mechanisms for PBX remains vital to assessing the safety during machining and general handling. Under frictional heating, hot spot generation due to high melting point contaminants in the interface is a suspected source for increased probability of detonation. Here, to investigate such frictional heating, samples of PBX 9501 and PBX 9502 were impacted and skidded against a tangentially moving target and thermally imaged. Temporally resolved temperature and forces were simultaneously measured with and without 300 µm silica grit at the frictional interface. A trend of increasing temperature was observed as the speed and tangential force on the sample increased. Grit particles in the frictional interface were found to act as frictional heat concentration spots owing to the grit's protrusion from the surface and lesser susceptibility to melting compared to the PBX. The coefficient of friction between PBX 9501 and the skidding surface was observed to be largely constant for forces and speeds at the lower end of the test range. In contrast, at high tangential speeds, the coefficient was found to be significantly lower.
Research Organization:
Pantex Plant (PTX), Amarillo, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0001942
OSTI ID:
1875433
Journal Information:
Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, Journal Name: Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 47; ISSN 0721-3115
Publisher:
WileyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (9)

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Direct observation of frictional ignition in dropped HMX-based polymer-bonded explosives journal November 2020
Energy dissipation in polymer-bonded explosives with various levels of constituent plasticity and internal friction journal March 2019
Grit-mediated frictional ignition of a polymer-bonded explosive during oblique impacts: Probability calculations for safety engineering journal February 2015
Initiation of Explosions by Grit Particles journal October 1948
Measurements of shock initiation in the tri-amino-tri-nitro-benzene based explosive PBX 9502: Wave forms from embedded gauges and comparison of four different material lots journal June 2006
Apparatus for skidding sensitivity testing of energetic materials journal April 2021
LASL Explosive Property Data book December 1980

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Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
Frictional heating
Polymer-bonded explosive
Skidding
Thermal imaging