Comparison of Likelihood of Hotspot Formation in Energetic Materials Due to Spherical and Planar Impact
Abstract
Energetic materials are widely used as rocket propellants and explosives in the field of aerospace and defense. Understanding the nature of impact in polymer-bonded explosives is crucial safety and transportation of energetic materials. The formation of hotpots in energetic materials leads to unexpected initiations, posing a safety hazard. An attempt was made to study the mechanical behavior of energetic materials under different shapes of impactors. In particular, the likelihood of hotspot formations was discussed in spherical and Spherical Impactors (SI). Spherical and planarshaped impactors were modeled with a cohesive finite element framework to simulate the behavior of granular energetic materials with cyclo-tetramethylene-tetranitramine(HMX) embedded in a hydroxyl-polybutadiene binder. Temperature distribution and stresses induced around crystals on expanding stress profile of SI and uniform pressure profile from a SI are compared to determine the possibility of detonation. In this work, the dependence of sample morphology on induced stresses in the microstructure is highlighted by using three different microstructures. A digitized polymer-bonded-explosive microstructure was analyzed for possible initiations with different impact velocities. The effect of the shape of grains and volume fractions on the likeliness of hotspot formation were studied using rounded and sharp-edged idealized crystals. Impactor behavior on samples was compared based on force chains, temperature profiles, and stress distributions.
Degree
M.Sc.
Advisors
Tomar, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Chemistry|Energy|Marketing|Materials science|Mathematics|Mechanics|Polymer chemistry
Off-Campus Purdue Users:
To access this dissertation, please log in to our
proxy server.