Chemical Thermodynamics and Thermal Analysis (Sep 2021)
Vapor pressure and thermophysical properties of explosive taggants
Abstract
Knowledge of the vapor pressure is one of the key parameters that determine the application of detection taggants for a given explosive and useful lifetime. The objective of this work was to determine the vapor pressures and thermodynamically linked properties of selected explosive taggants, namely 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane, 2-nitrotoluene, and 4-nitrotoluene. Experimental studies included vapor pressure measurements using a static method, investigation of phase behavior by differential scanning calorimetry, and measurement of condensed-phase heat capacities. On the basis of the above-mentioned data and in combination with theoretically calculated ideal-gas thermodynamic properties, the recommended vapor pressure equations for the explosive taggants in a wide temperature range were developed by the method of simultaneous correlation of vapor pressures and thermodynamically linked properties.