Approach for determination of detonation performance and aluminum percentage of aluminized-based explosives by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Energetic materials containing aluminum powder are hazardous compounds, which have wide applications as propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics. This work introduces a new method on the basis of the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technique in air and argon atmospheres to investigate determination of aluminum content and detonation performance of 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX)-based aluminized explosives. Plasma emission of aluminized RDX explosives are recorded where atomic lines of Al, C, H, N, and O, as well as molecular bands of AlO and CN are identified. The formation mechanism of AlO and CN molecular bands is affected by the aluminum percentage and oxygen content present in the composition and plasma. Relative intensity of the Al/O is used to determine detonation velocity and pressure of the RDX/Al samples. The released energy in the laser-induced plasma of aluminized RDX composition is related to the heat of explosion and percentage of aluminum.