Production of desensitized, ultrafine PETN powder

Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) is a widely studied high explosive (HE), most commonly used in detonator applications. In this work, we use a spray drying technique to manufacture a new nano-powder morphology of PETN. The spray dried PETN is several orders of magnitude smaller in particle size than traditionally prepared PETN powders. The spray dried PETN has a mostly spherical and smooth morphology, while traditional crystalline PETN typically has sharp edges and crystal facets. Small-scale sensitivity tests including drop-weight impact, friction, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) indicate the spray dried PETN is less sensitive than traditionally used forms of PETN powders. We also observed no changes in chemical properties (melt temperature and onset of decomposition) after spray drying, and the material remains in the tetragonal, crystalline phase. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

In this study, a new nano-powder morphology of PETN was successfully manufactured using a spray drying technique, resulting in PETN particles that are smaller and less sensitive than traditional forms. The chemical properties of PETN remained unchanged after spray drying, indicating that the material retains its tetragonal, crystalline phase.