CAST EXPLOSIVE MIXTURES FOR UNDERWATER APPLICATION

Gordana Antić

Abstract

The subject of this paper is a review of TNT-based explosive mixtures and explosives based on the polimer binder (PBX) which are used for explosive charges of Navy weapons. Special attention is paid to aluminum dispersion effects on explosive charge detonations and energy performances, and to the mechanism of metallic powder oxidation in the detonation wave. It is shown that condensed chemical active particles can signifficantly change the detonation wave structure and parameters under specified conditions, especially when oxidant is present.

Comprehensive theoretical and experimental research into characteristics of explosives for underwater application and systematic approach to the phenomenon of underwater detonation, resulted in necessary knowledge about the influence of water environment and composition of explosive mixtures on their efficiency.

The presented results are an outgoing base for the prediction of explosive charge quality and for defining criteria for the selection of explosive charge composition for particular Navy ammunition.

The comparative analysis of advantages and disadvantages of two groups of cast explosive mixtures showed that PBX application can eliminate many of known faults of conventional melt-cast TNT-compositions thus resluting in explosive charges of higher quality.