Method for preparation of fine TATB (2-5 microm) and its evaluation in plastic bonded explosive (PBX) formulations.

There is a need of fine 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) (2-5 microm) for various high explosive formulations to achieve desired mechanical strength, ease in processing and finally, provide better performance of end product. The reprecipitation method for TATB has been developed using concentrated sulfuric acid as a solvent. The reprecipitation parameters of TATB were optimized to achieve required fine TATB of particle size approximately 2-5 microm.

Primary explosives: electrostatic discharge initiation, additive effect and its relation to thermal and explosive characteristics.

All explosives, under all conditions must be considered vulnerable to generation, accumulation and discharge of static charge. The low energy static hazards of the order as low as 2-3 mJ need to be guarded against in case of highly sensitive compounds namely primary explosives. The hazard is normally associated with manufacturing and filling operations due to discharge of static charge accumulated on a person supplying energy up to 20 mJ.

Synthesis, characterization and thermolysis of 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene (FOX-7) and its salts.

The present paper discusses the efforts made in HEMRL to establish the synthesis of FOX-7 at 100 g/batch level. In the present study, 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene has been synthesised by treatment of acetamidinium chloride with diethylmalonate to obtain 2-methyl-pyrimidine-4,6-dione which on nitration followed by hydrolysis gave FOX-7. The synthesised FOX-7 has been characterized by spectroscopic and thermal techniques.

Synthesis, characterization and thermolysis studies on triazole and tetrazole based high nitrogen content high energy materials.

This paper reports the synthesis, characterisation and thermolysis studies of hydrazinium azotetrazolate (HAZ) and 1,1'-dinitro-3,3'-azo-1,2,4-triazole (N-DNAT). TGA and DSC results suggested that HAZ decomposes in the range of 150-180 degrees C and N-DNAT in the range of 160-170 degrees C, respectively. The pattern of decomposition of HAZ dihydrate and N-DNAT has been predicted with the help of pyrolysis GC/MS technique and a probable decomposition mechanism has been proposed.

Prediction of heat of formation and related parameters of high energy materials.

Heat of formation is one of the most important parameters in the performance prediction of explosive and propellant formulations and their individual ingredients. This paper reports the development of user-friendly computer code for the prediction of heat of formation based on two approaches. In first methodology, the logic of Benson's Group additivity method and in the second method, the logic of Pedley method was used for predicting the heats of formation of high energy materials (HEMs).