Application of Liquid Paraffin in Castable CL-20-Based PBX

Pu Zhang, Xue Yong Guo*, Jing Yuan Zhang, Qing Jie Jiao

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB)/CL-20 castable explosives plasticized with liquid paraffin were processed successfully by a cast-curing method. The compatibility of liquid paraffin with CL-20, influence of liquid paraffin on CL-20 phase transition, and viscosity of the cast mixture were tested and analyzed. The thermal decomposition characteristics, thermal stability, mechanical sensitivity, and velocity of detonation (VOD) of the HTPB/CL-20 plastic-bonded explosives (PBXs) were also measured. The experimental results showed that liquid paraffin was well compatible with CL-20, and it did not have a distinct effect on the ε{lunate}- to γ-phase transition of CL-20. In addition, the casting mixture was free-flowing with sufficiently low viscosity. When the content of CL-20 is 90% by weight, the measured VOD reached 8,775 m/s (density of 1.78 g/cm3), and the PBXs exhibited moderate mechanical sensitivity and good thermal stability.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)278-292
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Energetic Materials
Volume32
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2014

Keywords

  • CL-20
  • castable PBXs
  • detonation velocity
  • mechanical sensitivity
  • phase transition
  • thermal stability
  • viscosity

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