Degradation chemistry of PETN and its homologues
Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) is used throughout the stockpile as an energetic material. The formulation of PETN into XTX8003 (80% PETN, 20% Sylgard 182) creates an extrudable energetic composite. PETN and XTX8003 are used in the firesets for the retired W68 (MC2370) and the W76 (MC3028). When faced with potential lifetime extensions, energetic materials are naturally suspect regarding their output after prolonged aging. The authors have studied PETN and XTX8003 by looking at 25-year-old samples from retired MC2370s and newer materials. Both the old and new materials have also been placed in various accelerated aging protocols to investigate any decomposition that might occur over time. PETN is known to decompose autocatalytically even in the early stages of decomposition, but the process is poorly understood. Published values for the activation energy of decomposition vary by >40 kcal/mol. The 12 million year half life predicted for room temperature PETN would be dramatically shortened by chemical influences that lead to lower energy decomposition pathways. Degree of confinement, purity, and crystal size all influence degradation rates. In this paper, the authors observe the effects of chemical and thermal aging on PETN. They anticipate changes in mechanism at higher temperature aging, and before trying to extrapolate to lower temperatures, they want to make sure that they understand the different chemical processed involved.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 650196
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--97-8684C; ON: DE98050608
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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