Performance Testing of Green Initiating Explosives

04/07/2005NDIA Fuze Conference

Author: Neha MehtaRDECOM

Chemical Engineer

Co-Authors:Gartung Cheng - RDECOMBobby Lateer - RDECOM

Carl Hu – RDECOMEmily Cordaro – RDECOMTheodore Dolch - RDECOMDr. Michael Hiskey – LANL

Introduction

• Current issues with an intermediate charge, primary initiating explosives are:– No Lead Azide production in the US– Environmentally hazardous

• Initiated a program to develop new lead free primary initiating explosives for the production of “green” detonators.

Program Objectives

– Produce Green initiating explosives.

– Replace Lead Azide, intermediate charge, in detonators.

– Reduce soldiers’, workers’ and the environment’s exposures to lead.

Traditional Detonator

Cup

Lead Styphnate

Output Charge (RDX, HMX)

Transfer Charge –

Lead Azide

+ _

NOL- 130 (14 mg)

Lead Azide (51 mg)

RDX(18 mg)

Stab Detonator Electric Detonator

Stab Detonator

NOL- 130 (14 mg)

Green Material

RDX or EDF(18 mg)

Issues Benefits

• Lead-Free Material– Environmentally safe– Reduce exposure of

lead – health, safety

• No Lead Azide production in the US

• Hazardous– Environmental– Health

End Items Impacted

• Detonators– Stab

• M55• M59• M61

Compounds tested for Green Detonator

• di-sodium Tetrakis (nitrotetrazolato) - di (aquo) Nickel (II)

• di-sodium tetrakis (nitrotetrazolato) - di (aquo) Iron (II)

• di-sodium tetrakis (nitrotetrazolato) - di (aquo) Copper (II)

• sodium tris - aquotris - nitrotetrazolato Cobalt

ERL Impact Sensitivity Test

• All 4 organic compounds are Impact Sensitive at 12cm

Ball Drop M55 HolderTest Setup

M55 Detonator – Ball Drop Test# NOL-130

(mg)Lead Azide

(mg)Organic

(mg)RDX (mg)

EDF (mg)

Comments

1 14 51 - 18 - Original M55 Detonator

5 14 25 - 34 - Go, but RDX did not go high order from 25mg of LA

6 14 25 - - 34 GO, same output as Original M55 Detonator

7 14 - 20 - 18 GO

8 10-12 20 18-27 GO

2 50 - 14 - - GO

3 14 - 40 9 - GO

4 14 - 30 12 - GO

Pressure – M55 cups# NOL-130

(psi)Lead Azide

(psi)Organic

(psi)RDX (psi)

EDF (psi)

Detonator Type

1 70,000 10,000 - 15,000 - Original M55

5 70,000 - 26,410 - 26,410 NOL-130/Green/EDF

6 70,000 - 54,707 - 54,707 NOL-130/Green/EDF

7 70,000 - 68,265 - 68,265 NOL-130/Green/EDF

2 70,000 - 10,000 15,000 - NOL-130/Green/RDX

3 70,000 - 10,000 - 15,000 NOL-130/Green/EDF

4 70,000 - 15,000 - 15,000 NOL-130/Green/EDF

Higher the pressure, higher the density – better output

M55 Detonator Ball Drop witness plates

NOL-130/LA/RDX NOL-130/LA/EDF Original M55

M55 Detonator Ball Drop witness plates

• Replace LA with Organic compounds

RDX EDF Original M55

Conclusions

• M55 detonator loaded with NOL-130 as the initiating charge and organic compounds as the intermediate charge and RDX, CL-20 or both materials as the secondary energetics were successfully functioned.

• 25 mg of LA with EDF gives high order reaction while 25 mg of LA with RDX will not.

• Dents produce by M55 Detonator using EDF and RDX as a secondary explosive, EDF gives 25% more output compared to RDX.

• Down selected to one organic compound from four compounds.• Higher the pressure, higher the density – better output.• Increasing EDF weight and reducing organic compound might give us

better output.• Identified additional initiating materials for testing.

Future Work

• Optimize weights of stab mix, transfer charge and output charge.

• Optimize Pressure conditions.