skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Physical and chemical nature of sensitization centers left from hot spots caused in triaminotrinitrobenzene by shock or impact

Journal Article · · J. Phys. Chem.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/j100303a053· OSTI ID:6004835

Samples of triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB), a well-known explosive, were taken to the brink of ignition by either underwater shock or impact and were investigated for the generation of hot spots. SEM was used for detecting, locating, and measuring the size of the hot spot remnants. These were found to be tiny ragged holes in the explosive with a fine deposit of debris near them. By use of XPS, a specially surface-sensitive technique, it was found that the debris consisted of furoxan and furazan derivatives of TATB produced from its decomposition. The furoxans are far more sensitive than TATB and constitute sensitization centers where reaction an easily restart during handling of the explosive. The hot spot sites were of micron size for the impacted samples and an order of magnitude smaller for the underwater-shocked samples.

Research Organization:
Naval Surface Weapons Center, Silver Spring, MD
OSTI ID:
6004835
Journal Information:
J. Phys. Chem.; (United States), Vol. 91:19
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English