DEVELOPMENT OF THE SMALL‐SCALE SHOCK SENSITIVITY TEST (SSST)

A small‐scale test to measure shock sensitivity with less than a half gram of sample per test and six tests at most was developed. The goal is to screen new energetic compositions before the need for costly scale‐up. The concept merged aspects of the Small‐Scale Shock Reactivity Test (SSRT) developed at IHDIV, NSWC with those of standard gap tests. The SSRT measures the shock reactivity (explosiveness) of potentially energetic materials, often well‐below critical diameter, without requiring a transition to detonation. Gap tests are used to gage shock sensitivity of explosives, but require a sample size large enough for steady detonation. The new test arrangement combined the shock‐attenuating gap before the sample and the air gap after the sample found in gap tests with the small sample size and high confinement of the SSRT. The results for a plastic‐bonded explosive formulated with either a regular or insensitive RDX confirmed the difference in sensitivities observed in traditional gap tests. Also, the r...