Compressive Behaviors of TATB Crystals in PBX studied by Neutron Diffraction

Triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB) is a typical insensitive high explosive (IHE) used in several polymer bonded explosive (PBX) formulations. The relationship between micromechanical behav iors of TATB crystals and damage evolution of polycrystalline aggregates during the load is nece sary to develop characterizing and improving the mechanical properties of PBX. In this paper, TATB lattice parameters were measured using neutron diffraction during quasi-static monoton ic and cyclic compression periods. And the lattice strains calculated by peak shifts were dev ot d to characterizing the load-bearing of TATB crystals in PBX. Upon yielding of the specimen, te nsile deviation from linearity had been observed in TATB lattice strains plotted as a function of applied stress. Through comparison with the thermal-treated specimen, changes in the lattice strain we re found to correlate to the evolution of damage mostly. And a damage parameter defined by macroscopically determine d residual strains was used to better understanding the compressive behaviors of TATB based PBX.