TATB explosive power

The US Department of Energy currently maintains an estimated five year supply of TATB for its Stockpile Stewardship and Management Program which is designed to ensure the safety, security and reliability of the US nuclear stockpile. The Department of Defense is also studying the possible use of TATB as an insensitive booster material because even with its safety characteristics, a given amount of this explosive has more power than an equivalent volume of TNT. 

TATB is well-known for its insensitivity and is currently employed as an IHE for some applications. TATB is however, inferior to RDX and HMX in performance. Therefore, a need exists for the research and development of explosives that are powerful yet resistant to accidental and sympathetic initiation. 

The characteristics of this explosive are calculated density (X-ray diffraction) =1.865gem"3, impact sensitivity (h50% for 5 kg weight) =70cm, friction sensitivity = insensitive, temperature of decomposition (DSC) ca. 350°C and VOD = 8200 ms"1. The data confirm that DANTNP is slightly more powerful while its impact insensitivity is of the order of TATB [174]. 

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