Recent work has indicated that the impact sensitivities of organic high explosives are related in a simple mamner to the velocities of thcir thermal decomposition reactions at very high temperatures, 300-1OOO'C. It has been possible, by means of a riew experimental technique, to measure the time delay to explosion for a series of explosives in this hitherto unexplored range of temperature and reaction rate.This has been accomplished by loading the explosive into fine hypodermic needle tubing which can then be heated, essentially instantaceously, by a capacitor discharge. The temperature and explosive event are recorded by monitoring the resistance of the tube. The measured delay times are related to the impact sensitivities of high explosives, as sensitive materials are found to explode mere rapidly at a gken high temperature than less sensitive ones.Detailed studies of the mechanisms by which explosions are initiated by mechanical blows indicated that a wide variety of the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of an explosive determine the absolute value of its impact sensitivity.

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This report describes a new technique which has been used to investigate the behavior of high explosives in a hitherto unexplored range of temperatures. The work is part of a continuing effort to 'elucidate the chemical basis of the sensitivity of explo~ives. The results described herein, while not conclusive, strongly indicate that the chemical kinetic considerations may be of greater importance than any other factor in determinling the basic sensi ti vi ty of high explosives. Support for this research was granted under Task No. RUU03EOl7/212-l/WFp08-l0-004, Desensitization of Explosives.

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