Measurement of carbon condensates using small-angle x-ray scattering during detonation of the high explosive hexanitrostilbene

• DOI: 10.1063/1.4922866
• Publication Date: 2015-06-24T17:00:55Z
• Authors: M. Bagge-Hansen; L. Lauderbach; R. Hodgin; S. Bastea; L. Fried; A. Jones; T. van Buuren; D. Hansen; J. Benterou; C. May; T. Graber; B. J. Jensen; J. Ilavsky; T. M. Willey
• Keywords: Small-angle X-ray scattering; Radius of gyration; TATB; Small-Angle Scattering; Microsecond

The dynamics of carbon condensation in detonating high explosives remains controversial. Detonation model validation requires data for processes occurring at nanometer length scales on time ranging from nanoseconds to microseconds. A new detonation endstation has been commissioned acquire and provide time-resolved small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) explosives. Hexanitrostilbene (HNS) was selected as the first investigate due its ease initiation using exploding foils flyers, vacuum compatibility, thermal stability, stoichiometric abundance that produces condensate yields. SAXS during detonation, collected with 300 ns resolution, unprecedented signal fidelity over a broad q-range. This permits analysis both Guinier Porod/power-law regions profile which contains information about size morphology resultant nanoparticles. To bolster confidence these data, angle intensity were additionally cross-referenced separate, highly calibrated beamline. show HNS particles radius gyration 2.7 nm less than 400 after front passed, this are constant next several These directly contradict previous pioneering work RDX/TNT mixtures TATB, where observations indicate significant particle growth (50% or more) continues power-law slope is −3, consistent complex disordered, irregular, folded sp2 sub-arrangement within relatively monodisperse structure possessing HNS.