New fusible binder additives for composite explosives

Abstract

Occupational safety in manufacturing powerful melt-cast composite explosives requires replacement of conventional fusible binders, as trotyl and dinitrazapentane, by less sensitive compounds. To solve this challenge, insensitive 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole derivatives (1-, 2-methyl, tert-butyl, ethoxymethyl) and their eutectic mixtures with furazanyl furoxane can be used in formulations with 1,3,5,7-tetranitro- 1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (octogen, HMX) and 6-nitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20). Our studies shows quite low sensitivity impact of the nitrotriazole derivatives (≥ 500 mm at a load weight of 10 kg), their melting temperatures (56…94 °С), and their eutectic temperatures with furazanyl furoxane (57…62 °С). For HMXbased composite explosives, the optimum options are ethoxymethyl-3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole and its eutectic melt with furazanyl furoxane (80/20 weight ratio), while for CL-20-based formulations, the appropriate additives were 1-methyl-3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole and its eutectic melt with furazanyl furoxane (80/20 weight ratio). Phase diagrams of the new fusible binder additives are also given. The data were obtained by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC).