The explosive molecular crystal cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine was studied in three orientations in a set of plate impact experiments; the orientations studied were {110}, {011}, and {010} in P21/n space group. The elastic–plastic shock response was measured using laser interferometry. The measured particle velocity profiles showed elastic precursor decay typical of a stress relaxing material. There is anisotropy in elastic shock strength and decay. The amount of precursor decay with propagation distance and stress relaxation behind the elastic shock varied among the orientations. The {010} orientation had larger elastic precursors than did the other two orientations; the {010} crystal does not have the regular plastic deformation mechanisms available to it. Elastic Hugoniots were obtained from the measurements. The inelastic deformation mechanisms may vary with orientation.

We used a resonant ultrasound spectroscopy technique to measure the nine independent elastic constants of cyclotrimethylene trinitramine C3H6N6O6 also known by its code designation RDX. The measurements were made on a single crystal grown from acetone containing RDX in solution. The elastic constants in gigapascal units are C11=25.6, C22=21.3, C33=19.0, C23=6.4, C31=5.72, C12=8.67, C44=5.38, C55=4.27, and C66=7.27.

Plate impact experiments were performed on oriented single crystals of the energetic material cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX). The experiments were performed to determine the anisotropic dynamic yield point for the RDX crystal, as well as to provide data for continuum modeling efforts. Impact was on the (111), (210), and (100) planes to access 3, 2, and 0 slip systems, respectively. Velocity history profiles were measured using Doppler interferometry. Impacts on the (210) plane resulted in nominally conventional results, with distinct elastic and plastic waves, stress relaxation, elastic precursor decay, and increasing wave separation with propagation distance. Velocity profiles from impacts on the (111) plane had no discernable precursor, although an inflection seen in the thicker samples might be the nearly overdriven elastic wave. Wave arrival times signaled a slower elastic wave speed in the (111) profiles. Several unexpected features were observed in the elastic precursor of the profiles from impacts on the (100) plane. Up to three distinct step features were resolved in these profiles in the region of the elastic precursor; these features are not understood. In preparing samples for these experiments, it was noted that the (100) crystal slabs were exceptionally brittle. Wave speeds determined from the shock experiments were consistent with both pulse-echo wave speed measurements and wave speeds calculated from the measured elastic tensor. The elastic limit, as indicated by the peak of the leading wave, was relatively isotropic.

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A single-crystal model for the high-strain rate deformation of cyclotrimethylene trinitramine including phase transformations and plastic slip