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Switchable Explosives: Performance Tuning of Fluid-Activated High Explosive Architectures

Cameron B. Brown1,2, Alexander H. Mueller1,*, Seetharaman Sridhar2,3, Joseph P. Lichthardt1, Andrew M. Schmalzer1, Bryce C. Tappan1, Von H. Whitley4, Larry G. Hill1, Eduardo Lozano5 et al.

Tariq D. Aslam5

  • 1Q-5, High Explosive Science and Technology, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
  • 2Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA
  • 3Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-7805, USA
  • 4XTD-SS, Safety and Surety, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
  • 5T-1, Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA

  • *Corresponding author. amueller@lanl.gov
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 116105 – Published 17 March, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.116105

Abstract

We present our discovery of switchable high explosives (HEs) as a new class of energetic material that cannot detonate unless filled with a fluid. The performance of fluid-filled additive-manufactured HE lattices is herein evaluated by analysis of detonation velocity and Gurney energy. The Gurney energy of the unfilled lattice was 98% lower than that of the equivalent water-filled lattice and changing the fluid mechanical properties allowed tuning of the Gurney energy and detonation velocity by 8.5% and 13.4%, respectively. These results provide, for the first time since the development of HEs, a method to completely remove the hazard of unplanned detonations during storage and transport.

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“Off Switch” Makes Explosives Safer

Published 17 March, 2023

An explosive material fabricated with a highly porous structure is inactive but is easily “switched on” when filled with water.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 116105– Published 17 March, 2023
  • Received 21 September 2022
  • Revised 17 January 2023
  • Accepted 2 February 2023
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