Effects of Additives on ε-HNIW Crystal Morphology and Impact Sensitivity

Crystals of ?-HNIW were transformed into crystals of e-HNIW by application of a drowning-out process in the presence of different additives, namely ethylene glycol, triacetin, and aminoacetic acid. They show different effects on the crystal morphology of e-HNIW and cause less angular and more regular structures. Investigation of the sensitivities of the different e-HNIW crystals shows that their angles and regularity have an influence on the impact sensitivity. Aminoacetic acid selectively inhibits the growth of individual e-HNIW crystal faces to modify the morphology into spherical shape, these e-HNIW crystals are of much lower sensitivity, even compared with general RDX and HMX explosives.