Thermal performance and decomposition kinetics of RDX/AP/SiO₂ intermolecular explosive

The thermal performance of the intermolecular explosive (IMX) prepared from RDX, ammonium perchlorate (AP), and SiO₂ with different component ratio was studied by TG and DSC. The decomposition time of RDX and AP in the IMX was confirmed by TG–FTIR–MS. Regardless of the SiO₂/AP ratio, the decomposition heat of the IMX reached maximum when the mass ratio of SiO₂/RDX was around 0.1. When the SiO₂/RDX mass ratio was kept at 0.1, the decomposition heat of the IMX firstly increased and then decreased with rising AP content. The kinetic parameters of three different IMXs were measured. It was found that in the IMX, RDX and AP decomposed at the same time, and the oxygen released from AP allowed the RDX to decompose more thoroughly in the redox reaction. According to TG–FTIR–MS, the IMX had superior thermal performance than the physical mixture of RDX and AP. The IMX with zero oxygen balance had maximum decomposition activation energy.