Azide-Aluminum-RDX Mixtures

Montesi and Simmons [22] reported a minimum energy of less than 5 X 10 J for both RD1333 and for a 75 25 RD1333-aluminum mixture, using 

Wyatt s apparatus with approaching-needle rubber-base electrodes. With a steel-base electrode, however, a value of less then 3 X 10 J was obtained for RD1333 and a value between 5 X 1(10 and 1.1 X 10 J for the mixture. (The 3 X 10 J value was due to contact initiation since the electrode potential difference was only 250 V, which is less than the threshold voltage for gap breakdown in air.) 

Brown et al. [28] reported that the spark sensitivity of mixtures of RD 1333 and RDX decreased monotonically with percent RDX. Mixtures wet with Freon TF, containing more than 60% lead azide, were more sensitive than the same mixture dry below 60% lead azide, Freon desensitizes the mixture markedly. However, if the positive pointed electrode is raised so that it is in the Freon but not in the explosive, the explosive is markedly desensitized. 

---