Atmospheric Effects on the Combustion of Detonating Aluminized Explosives

The detonation and subsequent combustion of aluminized explosive formulations depend heavily on the oxidation reactions of aluminum. Fuel‐rich formulations require oxygen from an external source (nominally an oxygen‐containing atmosphere or detonation products) to burn the fuel to completion. Dynamic spectroscopic measurements are made for an aluminized explosive (PBXIH‐135) to investigate the effect of changing atmospheres on the combustion properties of aluminum. The explosive formulation is tested under normal atmospheric conditions and in an atmosphere of nitrogen. Light emission (from 350–550 nm) from the explosive event is collected in a spectrometer and dispersed temporally in a streak camera. Aluminum emission (centered at 396 nm) is commonly observed in each atmosphere although the emission persists longer in nitrogen. Aluminum nitride (AlN) is observed as an intermediate in the oxidation of aluminum when oxygen is removed from the atmosphere. New, nitrogen‐containing species (near 387 and 418 nm...