HOT SPOTS AND EXPLOSIVES INITIATION INVESTIGATIONS WITH HMX

This dissertation, while sometimes broad in scope, attempts to tie together the author’s work with the goal of better understanding the phenomenon of explosives initiation at the mesoscale. Discussion of the need for such an investigation will be covered, including how mesoscale phenomena and the dominant theory of explosives initiation–hot spot theory–are intimately related. Furthermore, some difficulties in designing mesoscale experiments will be mentioned. Sample preparation–one of the more difficult tasks in this regime–will be covered, including single crystal growth, mechanical machining with a quasi-CNC machine, laser machining, and hacks to a tungsten wire saw for novel sample production. The author will go on to show work done in a quasi-static regime, at low strain rates, and at medium- high strain rates. These novel experiments start to show how pore collapse functions in single-crystal HMX. Additional work with thermophosphors, which may be relevant to future experiments, is also presented. New experimental diagnostics designed and constructed by the author are laid out for future reference, along with improvements to a gas gun apparatus.