Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

First-principles study of high explosive decomposition energetics

Conference ·
OSTI ID:8167
The mechanism of the gas phase unimolecular decomposition of hexahydro-1,3,5,- trinitro- 1,3,5,-triazine (RDX) has been investigated using first principles gradient corrected density functional theory. Our results show that the dominant reaction channel is the N-NO* bond rupture, which has a barrier of 34.2 kcal/mol at the B- PW9 l/cc-pVDZ level and is 18.3 kcal/mol lower than that of the concerted ring fission to three methylenenitramine molecules. In addition, we have carried out a systematic study of homolytic bond dissociation energies of 14 other high explosives at the B-PW91/D95V level. We find that the correlation between the weakest bond strength and high explosive sensitivity is strong
Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Defense Programs (DP)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
8167
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JC-127877; YN0100000; ON: DE00008167
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

The mechanism for unimolecular decomposition of RDX (1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine), an ab initio study
Journal Article · Wed Mar 22 23:00:00 EST 2000 · Journal of Physical Chemistry A: Molecules, Spectroscopy, Kinetics, Environment, amp General Theory · OSTI ID:20026886

Biodegradation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine
Journal Article · Sat Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1981 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5876664

Theoretical studies of the decomposition of RDX in liquid xenon
Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 23:00:00 EST 1999 · Journal of Physical Chemistry B: Materials, Surfaces, Interfaces, amp Biophysical · OSTI ID:20013090