Detonation chemistry: Diffusion control in non‐ideal explosives

The performance of an explosive is a function of both the peak energy released near the detonation front, and the remainder of the energy that is released during the Taylor wave. The relative partitioning of energy between the front and the expansion, and the rate of energy release in the latter, may be controlled by either chemical kinetic or diffusion processes. Detonation calorimetry has been the principal experimental technique used to investigate these processes. Both the total energy release, and the quantitative analysis of the detonation products at a point or region on the expansion isentrope have been determined for formulations of ammonium nitrate (AN) and TNT in which both the composition and particle size of the AN have been varied. Isotopic labeling of selected explosives has also been used to give further insight into the reactions taking place in or near the reaction zone. Similar experiments have been performed in an ideal, homogeneous explosive.