Tunable Reactive Metamaterials for Enhanced Explosive Corner Turning

ABSTRACT Simulations and experiments were conducted to control energy release4d during detonation using high impedance additively manufactured geometric arrays. These arrays enabled the control of explosive corner turning within nitromethane. These localized geometries were tuned based on simulations carried out in ALE3D. High explosive ignition and growth reactive flow modeling identified specific high impedance inclusion geometries for given donor‐acceptor charge geometries that would induce corner turning when present. Synthetic, pressure‐dependent streak camera images were generated in simulations to inform experimental results. Experiments were conducted using Fritz plane wave lenses to drive planar input shocks into the system. Ultra‐high‐speed framing and streak camera imaging were used to view the shock time of arrivals within manufactured metamaterials. Framing camera images revealed localized instabilities within the nitromethane that were not present in untuned experiments. Streak camera imaging was used to measure the corner turning time of arrival at the boundaries of the experimental geometry. Corner turning did not occur in simulations or experiments that did not include the tuned inclusions. These results suggest that it is possible to localize sensitivity to detonation within an insensitive material increasing the overall safety of fielded energetic materials.