Tetryl detonation characteristics

VIII. Explosive Characteristics. Picric Acid is generally considered to be a relatively insensi tive but brisant expl. On a qualitative sensitivity scale of comparing common expls, PA would be judged to be more sensitive than TNT but appreciably less sensitive than Tetryl. Its power and brisance are also similar to those of TNT (112% TNT in the Ballistic Mortar 101% of TNT in the Trauzl Block and 107% in the plate dent test (Ref 48). In this section we will consider the steady detonation parameters. initiation characteristics and potential hazards of PA... 

Because Tetryl was widely used as a booster charge, its initiation behavior has been studied extensively. In particular, the reaction of Tetryl to shock has been the subject of many investigations. We shall now summarize the initiation characteristics of Tetryl with emphasis on its shock initiation behavior. The transition from burning to detonation will be described in the next section... 

TNT is one of the important materials used for not only explosives for industry but also military explosives for blasting charges. Since metals are not corroded by TNT, it is cast directly into metal cases as well as pressed into warhead shells. In order to gain high explosive characteristics, TNT is mixed with other materials, such as AN, Tetryl, PETN, A1 powder, and nitramine partides121. The mixture of TNT and AN is named Amatol has a TNT/AN mass fraction ratio ranging from 0.5/0.5 to 0.2/0.8. The mixture of TNT and AN is melted and then cast. The mixture of TNT and A1 named Tritonal has a mass fraction ratio of TNT/A1 = 0.8/0.2. The mixture of TNT and HMX is named Octol composed of the mass fraction ratio of TNT/H MX ranging from 0.3/0.7 to 0.25/0.75. The maximum detonation velocity, 8600 m/s, is obtained when the density is 1800 kg/m3. 

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