The Effect of Microsized Aluminum Powder on Thermal Decomposition of HNIW (CL-20)‎

Abstract EN

DSC experiments were conducted on the 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaaza-tetracyclo-[5.5.0.05,9.03,11]-dodecane (also known as HNIW or CL-20) and CL-20 containing 10 wt.% microsized aluminum (Al) powders.

The kinetic parameters of CL-20 and CL-20/Al were obtained by ASTM685 and Friedman methods, respectively, indicating that Al powder decreases the activation energy of CL-20 slightly and has a catalytic effect on the thermal decomposition of CL-20.

By the method of nonlinear multivariate regression, kinetic models of CL-20 and CL-20/Al were derived as fα=1−αn1+kcat⋅α, where the lgkcat of CL-20 and CL-20/Al is 1.97 and 2.12, respectively, showing that the autocatalytic ability of CL-20 had been increased by adding Al powder.

From the SEM images of CL-20/Al and the XRD pattern of the decomposition residues of CL-20/Al, it can be inferred that partial combustion of Al particles happened in the microscale view and led to the release of heat.