Energetic pyrotechnics

When the first edition of this book was published in 1985, a widely held opinion among pyrotechnicians was that potassium perchlorate was the ideal oxidizer to use in energetic pyrotechnic compositions, and potassium nitrate was the first choice for moderately energetic systems. Similarly, ammonium perchlorate was viewed as an ideal oxidizer for propellant formulations, producing all gaseous products in its thermal decomposition. 

Proper safety testing and classification of pyrotechnic energetic capacity will allow the selection of appropriate, remotely operated, cormerciaily available equipment. This equipment can be installed in less costly structures and plant sites for the manufacture of pyrotechnic materials in a safe and economical manner. 

Energetic Materials - Reactions of Propellants, Explosives and Pyrotechnics... 

For onsite analysis, the examination of the vast number of samples necessitates the use of quick, reliable, field portable equipment that can rapidly, quantitatively verify the many chemically different types of ammunition, explosives, and pyrotechnics. The most common suite of analytes to detect is large, consisting of very chemically different compounds and usually occurs at trace levels in complex environmental matrices. This suite encompasses smokeless powders, black powders, and numerous propellant and energetic formulations. Detection should also be sought for common decomposition products of these explosives such as the methylanalines, aminonitrotoluenes, nitrotoluenes, mono- and dinitoroglycerines, and the nitrobenzenes under on-site conditions. 

A. P. Chafln, S. L. Christian, R. A. Hollins, A. T. Nielsen and W. P. Norris, Energetic Materials Research at NWC , Proc. ADPA Meetings on Compatibility of Plastics and Other Materials with Explosives, Propellants, Pyrotechnics and Processing of Explosives, Propellants and Ingredients, Long Beach, CA, 1986, 122-125. 

Teipel, U., and Mikonsaari, 1., Size Reduction of Particulate Energetic Material, Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics,... 

Chen, E.-T., Duo, Y.-Q., Luo, S.-G., Luo, Y.-J., and Tan, H.-M., Novel Segmented Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomers Based on Tetrahydrofuran/Ethylene Oxide Copolymers as High Energetic Propellant Binders, Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, Vol. 28, 2003, pp. 7. 

Beal, R. W., and Brill, T. B., Thermal Decomposition of Energetic Materials 78. Vibrational and Heat of Formation Analysis of Furazans by DFT, Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, Vol. 25, 2000, pp. 247-254. 

As with most pyrotechnic reactions, the energetic properties which are demonstrated involve a comprehensive mixture of inorganic, physical and solid-state chemistry and these have been well documented by authors such as Conkling, McLain and Ian von Maltitz. 

Thermal analytical techniques such as thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) have all been successfully employed in studying the pyrotechnic reactions of energetic materials such as black powder, as well as of binary mixtures of the constituents. 

Perhaps the place to begin in a book about trace chemical sensing of explosives is to define trace and explosive. If trace is defined as a submilligram quantity, then it should be noted that there are no chemicals that are explosive at trace levels. To clarify this point we need to elaborate on what makes a chemical an explosive. An energetic material is defined as one that releases energy upon decomposition. This material could be an explosive, a propellant, a pyrotechnic, or a fruit cocktail. For an energetic material to be an explosive chemical or composition its must be capable of undergoing decomposition with extremely... 

Nakashita, G., and Kubota, N., Energetics of Nitro/Azide Propellants, Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, Vol. 16, 1991, pp. 171-181. 

Shimizu, T, Ghemical Gomponents of Fireworks Gompositions, Pyrotechnic Ghemistry, Journal of Pyrotechnics, Inc., Whitewater, GO (2004), Ghapter 2. Energetic Materials Handbook, Japan Explosives Society, Kyoritsu Shuppan,... 

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