Review of Methods for Testing the Compatibility of High Energy Mixed Components

Abstract

A review of methods for testing the compatibility of high energy mixed components is presented. The advantages, deficiencies as well as the limitations of particular research methods are described based on selected applications reported in the literature. The most frequently used techniques for testing compatibility are thermal methods, such as DSC, TG, VST, and HFC, in which the processes of decomposition of samples conditioned at elevated temperatures are analyzed. Examples of non-thermal methods for testing compatibility, such as DFT, FTIR or XRD are reported in the literature as well. Incompatibility may lead to thermal detonation, which can occur even at low degrees of conversion. For this reason, the authors focused specifically on the limitations of methods for determining compatibility at high degrees of conversion. The methods allowing testing of compatibility based on an analysis for the initial decomposition stage are recommended.