Journal
CENTRAL EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ENERGETIC MATERIALS
Volume 13, Issue 1, Pages 103-115Publisher
INST INDUSTRIAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
DOI: 10.22211/cejem/64966
Keywords
laser ignition; explosive; optical sensitizers
Categories
Funding
- MCM-ITP programme - DGA/Dstl
- Mr Richard Clutterbuck/Thales UK Limited
Ask authors/readers for more resources
As a green technology, laser ignition of a relatively insensitive secondary explosive has been experimentally investigated. The explosive, hexanitrostilbene (HNS), was doped with one of two optical sensitizers, carbon black or a laser absorbing dye, and a continuous-wave (CW) infrared diode laser was used as the igniting source. The ignition sensitivities of HNS with each of the two optical sensitizers were analysed and compared in terms of: optical power threshold for ignition, ignition delay and full burn delay at various laser powers. The results have shown that both the chemical dye and carbon black optically sensitize the explosive with similar efficiencies. In contrast to the carbon black, the dye provides wavelength specificity and selectivity in the laser ignition process and its solubility in some specific solvents improves the coating of the explosive material. It was therefore concluded that the laser absorbing dye is a better candidate for optical sensitization in laser ignition than the commonly used carbon black. The combination of laser ignition sensitivity with wavelength selectivity potentially offers higher reliability and safety at a low optical power for future ignitors of secondary explosives.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available