Velocity, detonation factors that affect

Before presenting recent theoretical developments as well as actual data on detonation velocity, factors that affect D will be considered. Detonation velocity does not depend solely on the chemical compn of the expl. Indeed there are several factors that influence D more strongly than the chemical nature of the expl. Below we show a list of such factors, arranged in approximately descending order of influence ... 

In searching for new explosives one is most concerned with performance (detonation velocity and pressure), thermal properties, and sensitivity. Whether a new candidate explosive is ultimately widely used may well be determined by other factors, such as cost, toxicity, melting point, etc., but the initial research effort is guided by the trinity of performance, thermal stability, and sensitivity. This presents a difficult multifactoral problem in assessing the various molecular properties that contribute to each of these principal selection criteria. For instance, detonation velocity is affected by density, elemental composition, and heat of formation. These factors must be varied together in such a way as to maximize the combined effect on performance. 

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