| Abstract |
This handbook presents information and data for high explosives (HEs) of interest to programs at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and other Department of Energy (DOE) facilities. It is intended to be useful to the scientist or engineer, the novice or expert, who needs to develop a new weapon system, design a physics experiment, or select and/or evaluate an existing explosive. This compilation is limited to production HEs and their components. High explosives are divided into two classes: initial detonating (or primary) and noninitiating (or secondary) explosives. The primary HEs, such as azides and fulminates, are extremely sensitive to ignition by heat, shock, and electrical discharge; ignition leads to high-order detonation of the material - even for milligram quantities. The use of these HEs is therefore limited to squibs and starting materials for low-energy detonators. Because primary explosives have little application at LLNL, this compilation includes only the properties of lead azide and lead styphnate. Secondary HEs as a class comprise single compounds of mixtures; the mixtures contain one or more explosive compounds and one or more of the following ingredients: metals, binders, plasticizers, sensitizers or desensitizers, oxidizers, and a coloring agent. Because many of the secondary high explosives are mixtures, the properties of the additives and binders used are included. The data are the most up-to-date and accurate available to the knowledge of the compiler. The sources of information include textbooks, journal articles, technical reports, memoranda, letters, and personal communications. The reader is urged to consult the source document to properly evaluate and interpret the data given in this compilation. The compilation consists of sections on high explosives and mock explosives, formulation nomenclature (codes), data sheets on individual materials, and a bibliography. (ERA citation 06:019173) |
