Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction studies of the detonation soot of high explosives

This paper presents the results of electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction studies of the recovered carbonaceous residue (soot) from the detonation of some high explosives: TNT, a mixture of TNT and RDX (50/50), benzotrifuroxane, and triaminotrinitrobenzene. The use of the same experimental setup allowed a qualitative and quantitative comparison of the detonation products formed under similar conditions. The results clearly show differences in the morphology of graphite-like and diamond inclusions and in the quantitative content of nanodiamonds for the explosives used in this study.