SURFACE-CHEMISTRY OF BURNING EXPLOSIVES AND PROPELLANTS

Rates and pathways of the reactions and processes at the surface of burning energetic materials, such as explosives and propellants, are very difficult to measure experimentally. A ''snapshot'' simulation of the surface reaction zone is captured by a thin layer of material heated rapidly to temperatures characteristic of the burning surface. By the use of T-jump/FTIR spectroscopy, kinetics and heat changes can be determined during this event, and the early-stage chemistry can be assembled from the gaseous products of decomposition. Results for ammonium nitrate, poly(butadiene) polymers, hydrazinium nitroformate, and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazacine (HMX) illustrate progress in this field.