Experimental Studies on Improved Plastic Bonded Explosives Materials (PBXs) for Controlled Fragmentation Warheads

Abstract

This paper describes formulations of plastic bonded explosives (PBXs) based on three highly brisant explosives, namely 1,3,5-Trinitro-1,3,5-Triazinane (RDX), 1,3,5,7-Tetranitro-1,3,5,7-Tetrazocane (HMX) and pentaerythritoltetranitrate (PETN) with polyurethane (PU) based on Glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) as an energetic binder in comparison with composition-B, which used in the fragmentation warheads. The sensitivity and performance properties of different types of PBXs were evaluated by experimental results of prepared selected PBX compositions. Casting technique was used to prepare the selected compositions containing 14% PU based on GAP. It has been observed that the brisance of the PBX based on HMX was higher than that of comp-B by 21.3 %, the detonation velocity showed a remarkable increase of the order of 8480 (m/s) while that of comp-B was 7638 (m/s). A controlled fragmentation warhead with an outer grooving warhead case of dimensions 100x35x4 mm was used and arena test was carried out to determine the lethal zone of the fragmentation warhead. The lethal zone obtained from arena test for PBX composition based on HMX named PBXHG4 was higher than that based on RDX or PETN, and than that of comp-B by 40%.