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5. Initiation

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Chemistry of High-Energy Materials
This chapter is in the book Chemistry of High-Energy Materials
5 Initiation5.1 IntroductionAn explosive can be initiated using different stimuli (e.g. heat or shock) and canthen either ignite, deflagrate and turn into a detonation, or directly detonate, if itis initiated using a strong shock (Fig. 5.1). The ignition occurs at an ignition temper-ature which is characteristic for individual substances, if the linear loss of heatof the surroundings is smaller than the heat generated through the exothermicreaction.shockinitiationDDT  deflagration-detonation-transitionignitiondeflagrationdetonationself sustaining propagationof the detonationheat, hotspotsFig. 5.1:Transition from initiation to detonation.Generally, it can be said that theinitiationof explosives is mostly athermal pro-cess. However, the ignition (initiation) of an explosive can also occur by impactlinking via the low frequency vibrational modes (doorway modes) between 200 and600 cm–1. In cases where the initiation occurs through a shock-wave, we also ob-serve strong warming-up through adiabatic compression. If mechanical (impact,friction) or electrostatic (ESD) mechanisms are the cause, it can be assumed, thatthe mechanical or electric energy is also first converted into heat. This occurs, forexample, during the formation of so-calledhotspots. Here, there are small gasbubbles (0.1–10 μm), which are then strongly heated (up to 900 °C) as well throughadiabatic compression and therefore initiate the explosive. These can either be gasbubbles in liquids or in solids. The larger the difference in pressure between theoriginal pressure (p1) and the final pressure on compressionp2, the higher thejump in temperature:https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110536515-005
© 2017 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Munich/Boston

5 Initiation5.1 IntroductionAn explosive can be initiated using different stimuli (e.g. heat or shock) and canthen either ignite, deflagrate and turn into a detonation, or directly detonate, if itis initiated using a strong shock (Fig. 5.1). The ignition occurs at an ignition temper-ature which is characteristic for individual substances, if the linear loss of heatof the surroundings is smaller than the heat generated through the exothermicreaction.shockinitiationDDT  deflagration-detonation-transitionignitiondeflagrationdetonationself sustaining propagationof the detonationheat, hotspotsFig. 5.1:Transition from initiation to detonation.Generally, it can be said that theinitiationof explosives is mostly athermal pro-cess. However, the ignition (initiation) of an explosive can also occur by impactlinking via the low frequency vibrational modes (doorway modes) between 200 and600 cm–1. In cases where the initiation occurs through a shock-wave, we also ob-serve strong warming-up through adiabatic compression. If mechanical (impact,friction) or electrostatic (ESD) mechanisms are the cause, it can be assumed, thatthe mechanical or electric energy is also first converted into heat. This occurs, forexample, during the formation of so-calledhotspots. Here, there are small gasbubbles (0.1–10 μm), which are then strongly heated (up to 900 °C) as well throughadiabatic compression and therefore initiate the explosive. These can either be gasbubbles in liquids or in solids. The larger the difference in pressure between theoriginal pressure (p1) and the final pressure on compressionp2, the higher thejump in temperature:https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110536515-005
© 2017 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Munich/Boston

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface to this 4th English edition VII
  3. Preface to the 3rd English edition VIII
  4. Preface to the 2nd English edition IX
  5. Preface to the first English edition X
  6. Preface to the first German edition XI
  7. Contents XIII
  8. 1. Introduction 1
  9. 2. Classification of Energetic Materials 53
  10. 3. Detonation, Detonation Velocity and Detonation Pressure 119
  11. 4. Thermodynamics 127
  12. 5. Initiation 161
  13. 6. Experimental Characterization of Explosives 175
  14. 7. Special Aspects of Explosives 191
  15. 8. Correlation between the Electrostatic Potential and the Impact Sensitivity 225
  16. 9. Design of Novel Energetic Materials 231
  17. 10. Synthesis of Energetic Materials 285
  18. 11. Safe Handling of Energetic Materials in the Laboratory 293
  19. 12. Energetic Materials of the Future 299
  20. 13. Related Topics 307
  21. 14. Study Questions 323
  22. 15. Literature 327
  23. 16. Appendix 337
  24. Author 357
  25. Index 359
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https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110536515-005

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface to this 4th English edition VII
  3. Preface to the 3rd English edition VIII
  4. Preface to the 2nd English edition IX
  5. Preface to the first English edition X
  6. Preface to the first German edition XI
  7. Contents XIII
  8. 1. Introduction 1
  9. 2. Classification of Energetic Materials 53
  10. 3. Detonation, Detonation Velocity and Detonation Pressure 119
  11. 4. Thermodynamics 127
  12. 5. Initiation 161
  13. 6. Experimental Characterization of Explosives 175
  14. 7. Special Aspects of Explosives 191
  15. 8. Correlation between the Electrostatic Potential and the Impact Sensitivity 225
  16. 9. Design of Novel Energetic Materials 231
  17. 10. Synthesis of Energetic Materials 285
  18. 11. Safe Handling of Energetic Materials in the Laboratory 293
  19. 12. Energetic Materials of the Future 299
  20. 13. Related Topics 307
  21. 14. Study Questions 323
  22. 15. Literature 327
  23. 16. Appendix 337
  24. Author 357
  25. Index 359
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