STRUCTURE AND LATTICE DYNAMICS OF METAL AZIDES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO STABILITY

Abstract : Earlier research attempted to relate the low frequency molecular motions in solid explosives to the ease of initiation of detonation. However, in order to obtain a detailed and quantitative physical picture it was necessary to have more complete information on the crystal structures of the explosives, and to develop and apply improved techniques to resolve the spectra of molecular motions in crystals. The paper, dealing with the structure and lattice or molecular dynamics of inorganic azides at room temperature, presents one facet of the program which has yielded significant advances in technique and in our understanding of explosives stability. (Author)