Effect of Precipitation on the Specific Surface and Explosive Characteristics of PETN

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5780906

Dinegar, R. H.

The particle size, shape, and texture of the crystals of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) precipitated from acetone solutions by the addition of water depend upon many crystallization factors. Among the most important of these are 1) the concentration of PETN in the acetone, 2) both the volume of water and the rate at which the nonsolvent is added, and 3) the amount of agitation of the solution during the precipitation process. Fortunately, all of these conditions can be controlled easily because the explosion characteristics of PETN are strong functions of the crystal description. This paper quantitatively describes the effect of precipitation conditions on the type of PETN crystals obtained and the variation of both explosive sensitivity and explosion time with one important quantitative measure of crystal description: the area per unit mass or specific surface. 2 refs., 2 figs., 8 tabs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5780906
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-85-1023; CONF-850742-1; ON: DE85009620
• Resource Relation: Conference: International Pyrotechnics Society symposium, Karlsruhe, F.R. Germany, 3 Jul 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
PETN
PRECIPITATION
SENSITIVITY
ACETONE
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
CORRELATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
EXPLOSIONS
SURFACES
VOLUME
WATER
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
DATA
ESTERS
EXPLOSIVES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
KETONES
NITRATES
NITRIC ACID ESTERS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
450100* - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Chemical Explosions & Explosives