Study on the Thermal Sensitivity of Energetic Materials Characterized by Accelerating Rate Calorimeter (ARC)

Liquid energetic materials were not tested through traditional test methods for thermal sensitivity. Accelerating Rate Calorimeter (ARC) was scientific to test thermal sensitivity of energetic materials. The decompositions of Hexogen (RDX), Octogen (HMX), 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT), Nitromethane (NM), Iso-propyl Nitrate (IPN) were studied by ARC. Kinetic and thermodynamics parameters were calculated and analyzed. Temperature corresponding different time to maximum rate under adiabatic condition (θ) was calculated. The results show that the thermal sensitivity of energetic materials is NM>IPN>RDX>HMX>TNT, which suggests ARC could be used in the test of thermal sensitivity of liquid energetic materials.