COMPATIBILITY OF AMMONIUM-NITRATE WITH MONOMOLECULAR EXPLOSIVES .2. NITROARENES

Ammonium nitrate/fuel mixtures are widely used commercially; however, for military application it is often deemed necessary to enhance their performance by addition of conventional organic explosives. It is unreasonable to assume that such mixtures would retain the same thermal properties as the parent ammonium nitrate formulations. This paper presents a study of the thermal stability of such mixtures. Mixtures of ammonium nitrate and nitroaromatic compounds in various ratios have been decomposed isothermally in the temperature range 216-360 degrees C. The thermal decomposition kinetics of both ammonium nitrate and the nitroarenes have been followed by liquid chromatography. Markedly enhanced decomposition of both ammonium nitrate and the nitroarenes was observed. Products of decomposition have been identified, and possible decomposition mechanisms are discussed.