Classed propellant explosive

The three propellants listed in Table I have been tested in the cured state and classed propellant explosive (solid) Class B by the Interstate Commerce Commission (6). The aluminized formulation, Arcite 373D, gave the same test results when uncured. In addition, Arcite 373D and Arcite 386, both cured and uncured, tested zero cards in the standard Naval Ordanance Laboratory card-gap test (I, 2). 

Current propellent explosives may be divided into three classes single base, double base and composite however double base propellants which contain picrite are often considered a separate class and called triple base. 

Regulations for Transportation of Explosives and Other Dangerous Articles by Land and Water in Rail Freight Service and by Motor Vehicle (Highway) and Water, Part 73.88, (f) Propellant Explosives, Class B, Note 2, Bureau of Explosives, Association of American Railroads, New York, N. Y. (August 5, 1966). 

Class B Explosive Under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) safety regulations, as per 49 CFR 173.88, Class B explosives are defined as those explosives which in general function by rapid combustion rather than detonation and include some explosive devices such as special fireworks, flash powders, some pyrotechnic signal devices and liquid or solid propellant explosives which include some smokeless powders. The regulations provide specific descriptions of and tests for Class B explosives. 

Class B - Possessing flarmnable hazard, such as propellant explosives (including some smokeless propellants), photographic flash powders, and some special fireworks. ... 

In order to put the topic of aerogel and sol-gel-derived energetic nanocomposites into the proper perspective, a short discussion of the classes and properties of energetic materials (EMs) is appropriate. Energetic materials are separated into three classes (1) explosives (2) propellants and (3) pyrotechnics [1]. Materials categorized this way are generally based... 

The Explosives Environment. The Army Materiel Command (AMC), which has the primary responsiblity for manufacture and storage of explosives for the Department of Defense, clarified its definition of the type of hazardous location involved with explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics in its most recently revised safety manual (4). When the only consideration for hazardous environment is the presence of explosive material, it recommends that the environment be classified as Class II, Group G, with the appropriate division based on the probability of the hazardous element being present in the environment. It further states that consideration must be given to vapors which might be present or to the presence of metallic dust. 

Preliminary evaluations of polynitropolycyclic compounds reveal that this class of energetic materials is relatively powerful and shock insensitive, and so, well suited for use in future explosive and propellant formulations. 

Gunpowder was discovered by the Chinese many centuries ago, but they used it primarily for fireworks until it was imported to the West and used to blow up castles and then to propel projectiles. Explosives are solids that are endothermic with respect to their decomposition products. [We will consider the explosions of solids more in Chapter 10.] Typically explosives contain fuel atoms (C, H, and S) in close proximity to oxygen atoms (as nitrates and perchlorates) so that they will react to form CO2, H2O, and SO2, but only (one hopes) when intentionally ignited. Another class of exothermically decomposing solids is azides, and they are frequently used as igniters or fuses to heat up conventional explosives. 

A major class of chemical reactions involves the transfer of one or more electrons from one species to another. This process is referred to as an electron-transfer or oxidation-reduction reaction, where the species undergoing electron loss is said to be oxidized while the species acquiring electrons is reduced. Pyrotechnics, propellants, and explosives belong to this chemical reaction category. 

Explosives possessing velocities below ca 1000 m/sec are known as deflagrating explosives (See Vol 3, p D38-R), also known as burning or progressive explosives. To this class belongs BkPdr (See Vol 2, p B165-R), Nitrocelluloses (See Cellulose Nitrates in Vol 2, pClOO-L), smokeless propellants and... 

Another type of substance, which is less sensitive than primaries, is the class called propellants. They are explosive but formulated with different intention than HE s. Their function is to burn in a controllable fashion and, ideally, not to detonate under any circumstance. An important property of propellants is their sensitivity to ignition, which can be determined by subjecting them to sparks or flames... 

Even explosives must conform to regulations. Polymer bound explosives (PBXs) and Class 1.1 military propellants have been reformulated for use in the mining industry. There is a minimal waste stream (Wulfman et al., 1997). 

Classifying explosives by the presence of certain molecular groups does not give any information on the performance of the explosive. A far better way of classification is by performance and uses. Using this classification, explosives can be divided into three classes (i) primary explosives, (ii) secondary explosives, and (iii) propellants as shown in Figure 2.1. 

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