Study of the dynamics of nanoparticle sizes in trinitrotoluene detonation using the VEPP-4M synchrotron radiation

Abstract

Here we present experimental data on measuring condensed carbon nanoparticle sizes in trinitrotoluene (TNT) detonation. Nanoparticle sizes were determined from measured distributions of small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). The work was carried out at the VEPP- 4M (BINP) accelerator complex. In this work, we also carried out a SAXS simulation with a real spectrum on the SYRAFEEMA (Synchrotron Radiation Facility for Exploring Energetic Materials) station (wiggler radiation, TNT absorption, absorption of the DIMEX-3 detector). Comparison of the calculated and measured SAXS distribution allows one to obtain the dynamics of the average sizes of carbon nanoparticles behind the detonation front using a pink synchrotron radiation (SR) beam. The measured particle sizes in the chemical reaction zone are ≈ 2 nm. Carbon nanoparticles with a maximum size of ≈ 4-5 nm are found outside the chemical reaction zone.