Detonation and High-Speed Imaging of PETN Energetic Materials

Understanding the ignition and detonation process of energetic materials is pivotal in improving their safety and performance. Key to conducting detonation experiments is a method of both safely and reliably detonating the energetic material of interest. The primary focus of this work is the design of novel sample mounts that hold energetic materials for detonation experiments. Experiments are conducted using these sample mounts with varying amounts and forms of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN). These detonations are recorded with a Shimadzu high-speed camera, which allows for observation of the ignition process, the propagation of the detonation wave, and qualitative energy release. Results show that the slot design for sample mounts detonate reliably and provided an acceptable working geometry for imaging detonations. With the slot sample geometry, it was seen that the detonation speed is dependent on the amount of PETN used and the packing density. Finally, digital image correlation (DIC) methods are explored for use in detonation environments, with specific investigation into methods of patterning and illuminating samples for DIC.