Volume of activation in the shock initiation of explosives

✍ Scribed by Richard D. Bardo; Thomas N. Hall; Mortimer J. Kamlet

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1979
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 560 KB
• Volume: 35
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0010-2180
• DOI: 10.1016/0010-2180(79)90031-2

✦ Synopsis

The importance of determining the volume of activation in chemical kinetic studies of the shock initiation of explosives is emphasized. Volumes of activation and energies of activation are calculated, utilizing existing thermal ignition-time data for shocked nitromethane. Two important conclusions are drawn from the calculations: (1) incorrect values of the energy of activation may be obtained when the volume of activation is ignored; and (2) the existing ignition time data can yield large ranges of values for the volume and energy of activation from which it is impossible to determine and interpret the correct reaction mechanisms.

CALCULATION OF Vac t AND Eae t In our calculations of the volume of activation

Vae t and the energy of activation Eaet, we have 1 Notable exceptions are contained in the works of Chaiken [1] and Baum and Shipitsin [2]. The important observations by these authors in this regard have been largely ignored by the detonations community.