Front Cover 1
Demystifying Explosives: Concepts in High Energy Materials 2
A JOURNEY TOWARDS HIGHER EXPLOSIVE POWER 4
Copyright 5
Dedications 6
Contents 8
About the Author and Editor 14
Foreword 1 16
Foreword 2 18
Foreword 3 20
Preface 22
Acknowledgments 24
Abbreviations 26
Chapter 1 - In Pursuit of Energy and Energetic Materials 27
1.1 Introduction 27
1.2 Gunpowder to Nitrocubanes 27
1.3 Classification of Explosives 32
1.4 Explosives and Molecular Structure 34
1.5 Classification of Propellants 34
1.6 Pyrotechnics 37
Appendix A 41
Appendix B 42
Appendix C 42
Suggested Reading 43
Questions 43
Chapter 2 - Energetics of Energetic Materials 45
2.1 Are Explosives and Propellants High-Energy Materials? 45
2.2 Explosive: The Wonderful Lamp 46
2.3 Thermochemistry and Explosive Energy 48
Worked Example 2.1 58
Worked Example 2.2 65
Worked Example 2.3 68
Worked Example 2.4 70
Summary of Important Terms 72
Suggested Reading 74
Questions 75
Chapter 3 - Two Faces of Explosion: Deflagration and Detonation 77
3.1 Explosion 77
3.2 Deflagration and Detonation 78
3.3 Linear Burning and Mass Burning 80
3.4 Shock Wave and Detonation Wave 81
3.5 Detonation Theory 86
3.6 Theoretical Estimation: VOD and Pd 88
3.7 Deflagration-to-Detonation Transition 93
Suggested Reading 94
Questions 95
Chapter 4 - HEMs: The Facet of Explosive Performance 97
4.1 Why Do Explosives Explode? 97
4.2 Two Aspects of Explosive Performance 103
4.3 A Travel by Explosive Train 107
4.4 Performance Parameters of Military Explosives 113
4.5 Industrial Explosives 120
4.6 Processing of the Compositions 126
Suggested Reading 128
Questions 129
Chapter 5 - The Propulsive Facet of HEMs: I (Gun Propellants) 131
5.1 Introduction 131
5.2 Gun: the Heat Engine 131
Worked Example 5.1 133
5.3 Unfolding Drama inside the Barrel 134
5.4 Energetics of Gun Propellant 136
Worked Example 5.2 138
5.5 Configuration of Propellant Grains 138
5.6 Salient Aspects of Internal Ballistics of Guns 142
Worked Example 5.3 143
5.7 The Chemistry of Gun Propellant Formulations 146
Worked Example 5.4 151
Suggested Reading 157
Questions 157
Chapter 6 - The Propulsive Facet of High Energy Materials—II (Rocket Propellants) 159
6.1. Introduction to Rocketry 159
6.2 Basic Principles of Rocket Propulsion 159
6.3 Specific Impulse 164
Worked Example 6.1 165
6.4 Thermochemistry of Rocket Propulsion 166
6.5 Some Vital Parameters in the Internal Ballistics of Rockets 168
6.6. Design of a Rocket Propellant Grain 171
Worked Example 6.2 172
6.7. Chemistry of Solid Rocket Propellants 173
6.8 Future of Rocket Propellants 179
Suggested Reading 180
Questions 180
Chapter 7 - High Energy Materials in Pyrotechnics 183
7.1 Introduction 183
7.2 Applications 183
7.3 Basic Principles of Pyrotechnics 185
7.4 Conclusion 189
Suggested Reading 189
Questions 189
Chapter 8 - HEMs: Concerns of Safety 191
8.1 Introduction 191
8.2 Nature of Hazards 191
8.3 Hazard Classification of HEMs 192
8.4 The Damages 193
8.5 General Safety Directives 194
Suggested Reading 198
Questions 198
Chapter 9 - HEMs: Concerns of Security 199
9.1 HEMs: Concerns of Security 199
9.2 Detection of Explosives 200
Suggested Reading 205
Questions 205
Chapter 10 - HEMs: Characterization and Evaluation 207
10.1 Introduction 207
10.2 Chromatographic Techniques 208
10.3 Spectroscopic Techniques 210
10.4 Thermal Evaluation of Energetic Materials 212
10.5 Sensitivity Tests of HEMS 217
Suggested Reading 219
Questions 219
Chapter 11 - HEMs: Trends and Challenges 221
11.1 Introduction 221
11.2 Primary Explosives 221
11.3 High Explosives 222
11.4 Propellants 228
11.5 Polynitrogen Cages: Promising a Revolution in Future HEMs? 233
Suggested Reading 235
Questions 235
Chapter 12 - HEMs: Constructive Applications 237
12.1 HEMs Have Shaped Our World 237
12.2 Controlled Demolition 238
12.3 Air Bags 240
12.4 Explosive Welding 242
12.5 Avalanche Control 243
12.6 Life Saving Applications 244
Suggested Reading 244
Questions 245
Index 247
Abbreviations 26