Paper Title
Ultrasonically controlled particle size distribution of explosives: A safe method
Keywords
- Ultrasonically Controlled Particle Size
- High Energy Materials
- HEM
- Explosives
- Size Reduction
- Mechanical Sensitivity
- Friction Sensitivity
- Impact Sensitivity
- Modified Crystallization
- Cooling Crystallization
- Antisolvent Precipitation
- Crystallization Parameters
- Temperature Control
- Antisolvent Addition Rate
- Agitation
- Solvent Antisolvent Ratio
- Crystallization Time
- Product Yield
- Cavitationally Induced Nucleation
- Acoustic Cavitation
- CL-20
- Polyazapolycyclic Caged Polynitramine
- Energetic Ingredients
- Shock Insensitivity
- Size Distribution Manipulation
- Safe Size Reduction
- Mass Yield Improvement
Journal
Research Impact Tools
Publication Info
Volume: 15 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 177-187
Published On
March, 2008
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Abstract
Size reduction of the high energy materials (HEM’s) by conventional methods (mechanical means) is not safe as they are very sensitive to friction and impact. Modified crystallization techniques can be used for the same purpose. The solute is dissolved in the solvent and crystallized via cooling or is precipitated out using an antisolvent. The various crystallization parameters such as temperature, antisolvent addition rate and agitation are adjusted to get the required final crystal size and morphology. The solvent–antisolvent ratio, time of crystallization and yield of the product are the key factors for controlling antisolvent based precipitation process. The advantages of cavitationally induced nucleation can be coupled with the conventional crystallization process. This study includes the effect of the ultrasonically generated acoustic cavitation phenomenon on the solvent antisolvent based precipitation process. CL20, a high-energy explosive compound, is a polyazapolycyclic caged polynitramine. CL-20 has greater energy output than existing (in-use) energetic ingredients while having an acceptable level of insensitivity to shock and other external stimuli. The size control and size distribution manipulation of the high energy material (CL20) has been successfully carried out safely and quickly along with an increase in the final mass yield, compared to the conventional antisolvent based precipitation process.
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