Performance of TKX-50 in thermobaric explosives

In this study, the behavior of the high-nitrogen compound TKX-50 in model thermobaric formulations was investigated. The addition of 10 % Al to TKX-50 reduces the heat of detonation by approximately 90 J/g. Despite this, Al reacts with the detonation products of TKX-50 in an exothermic manner, and the energy contribution was calculated to be approx. 375 J/g. In addition, the overpressure in the explosion chamber filled with argon after detonation of aluminized TKX-50 charges containing 27 % Al is approx. 20 % higher than in the case of neat TKX-50. Also the maximum temperature of the TKX-50/Al explosion products in the argon filled chamber is higher by 370 K than that of measured after detonating TKX only. What is more aluminum oxynitride with a low nitrogen content has been identified in the solid detonation products of aluminized TKX-50, but only for detonations in argon. Of course, charges made of TKX-50/Al mixture generate significantly higher overpressure and radiant temperature values in a confined space when they are detonated in an air atmosphere. It all means that burning aluminum in nitrogen provides little energy, and even if the concentration of nitrogen in the post-detonation products is much higher than that of oxygen, aluminum oxides are preferentially formed.