Experimental Study on the Heat Resistant Explosive 5,5'-Bis(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-2,2'-bi(1,3,4-oxadiazole) (TKX-55): The Jet Penetration Capability and Underwater Explosion Performances

Abstract

Ongoing research to find new explosives which are stable at high temperatures focuses on compounds which comply with the strict requirements which must be fulfilled in order for a compound to be of use in deep oil-well and gas drilling applications. Great efforts have been focused on the development of new, thermally stable explosives which are stable at even higher temperatures than hexanitrostilbene, and which also show superior performance. In the group of recently synthesized thermally stable explosives, 5,5'-bis(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-2,2'-bi(1,3,4-oxadiazole) (TKX-55) is one of the most promising prospective candidates for use in practical applications, due to its physicochemical properties as well as its convenient synthesis. Therefore, further investigation into the performance of TKX-55 in shaped charge applications was undertaken. This study was focused on the investigation of the jet penetration capability of conical shaped charges filled with TKX-55, in comparison with recently used other explosives. The kinetic energy of the jet depends on the brisance of the explosive which is used. In order to experimentally investigate the shattering effect of TKX-55, the Underwater Explosion Test was applied. Based on the collected data, the total energy, as the sum of the primary shock wave energy (the brisance) and the bubble gas energy (the heaving effect), was calculated.

Molecular and Crystal Features of Thermostable Energetic Materials: Guidelines for Architecture of “Bridged” Compounds

“…Another important methodology for enhancing heat resistance relies on the connection of two or more energetic rings together, directly or through various “bridges”. The later design methodology was extensively explored by Shreeve in condensing N , N ′-alkylene-bridged symmetric and asymmetric bis-azoles, , Klapotke in utilizing a bis­(1,3,4-oxadiazole)-bridging moiety between two trinitro-benzene rings, , Pagoria, and other investigators.…”

Some Novel High Energy Materials for Improved Performance**

“…(i) A novel thermally stable explosive: 5,5′‐bis(2,4,6‐trinitrophenyl)‐2,2′‐bi(1,3,4‐oxadiazole), designated as TKX‐55 has been reported by Klapotke & Witkowski et al [29,30] . The synthesis is shown under Scheme 1.…”

Energetic Materials Research at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU)

“…TKX-55 is one of the most thermally stable explosives (Fig. 6) [15][16][17][18][19] . The density, enthalpy of formation, nitrogen content, detonation velocity, and detonation pressure of TKX-55 are higher than those of the currently used heat-resistant explosives HNS and PYX.…”