Effects of Low-Level Gamma Radiation on Common Nitroaromatic, Nitramine, and Nitrate Ester Explosives

Radiolytic degradation of dodecane substituted with common energetic functional groups†

Explosives exist in and are expected to withstand a variety of harsh environments up to and including ionizing radiation, though little is known about the chemical consequences of exposing explosives to an ionizing radiation field. This study focused on the radiation-induced chemical changes to a variety of common energetic functional groups by utilizing a consistent molecular backbone. Dodecane was substituted with azide, nitro, nitrate ester, and nitramine functional groups and γ-irradiated with ⁶⁰Co in order to study how the functional group degraded along with what the relative stability to ionizing radiation was. Chemical changes were assessed using a combination of analysis techniques including: nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography of both the condensed and gas phases, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Results revealed that much of the damage to the molecules was on the energetic functional group and often concentrated on the trigger linkage, also known as the weakest bond in the molecule. The general trend from most to least susceptible to radiolytic damage was found to be D–ONO₂ → D–N₃ → D–NHNO₂ → D–NO₂. These results also appear to be in line with the relative stability of these functional groups to things such as photolysis, thermolysis, and explosive insults.

The relative radiolytic stability of dodecane functionalized with common energetic functional groups was explored with gamma irradiation and probed by various analytical techniques.

Identifying the Molecular Properties that Drive Explosive Sensitivity in a Series of Nitrate Esters

Energetic materials undergo hundreds of chemical reactions during exothermic runaway, generally beginning with the breaking of the weakest chemical bond, the "trigger linkage." Herein we report the syntheses of a series of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) derivatives in which the energetic nitrate ester groups are systematically substituted by hydroxyl groups. Because all the PETN derivatives have the same nitrate ester-based trigger linkages, quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) simulations show very similar Arrhenius kinetics for the first reactions. However, handling sensitivity testing conducted using drop weight impact indicates that sensitivity decreases precipitously as nitrate esters are replaced by hydroxyl groups. These experimental results are supported by QMD simulations that show systematic decreases in the final temperatures of the products and the energy release as the nitrate ester functional groups are removed. To better interpret these results, we derive a simple model based only on the specific enthalpy of explosion and the kinetics of trigger linkage rupture that accounts qualitatively for the decrease in sensitivity as nitrate ester groups are removed.

Chemical Evaluation and Performance Characterization of Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) under Melt Conditions

Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) is a nitrate ester explosive commonly used in commercial detonators. Although its degradation properties have been studied extensively, very little information has been collected on its thermal stability in the molten state due to the fact that its melting point is only ∼20 °C below its onset of decomposition. Furthermore, studies that have been performed on PETN thermal degradation often do not fully characterize or quantify the decomposition products. In this study, we heat PETN to melt temperatures and identify thermal decomposition products, morphology changes, and mass loss by ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. For the first time, we quantify several decomposition products using independently prepared standards and establish the resulting melting point depression after the first melt. We also estimate the amount of decomposition relative to sublimation that we measure through gas evolution and evaluate the performance behavior of the molten material in commercial detonator configurations.