Patrick R. Bowden
YOU?
Author Swipe
View article: An explosively-driven multi-flyer system for investigating fragment impact initiation of PBXs
An explosively-driven multi-flyer system for investigating fragment impact initiation of PBXs Open
Recent experimental testing found that plastic-bonded explosives (PBX) can be initiated by metal-cupped detonators in a non-contact "standoff" configuration. Depending on the detonator type, and high explosive (HE) driver (e.g. PETN, HMX, …
View article: Recent advances in the development of FATP as a photoactive energetic material
Recent advances in the development of FATP as a photoactive energetic material Open
Iron(II) tris(3-amino-6-pyrazolyl-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-b][1,2,4,5]-tetrazine) perchlorate (FATP) is an energetic material that has low sensitivity to mechanical stimuli [impact, electrostatic discharge (ESD), and friction] and is also capabl…
View article: A simple 3D printed plane wave explosive lens based on Fritz parameters
A simple 3D printed plane wave explosive lens based on Fritz parameters Open
The development of additive manufacturing (3-D printing) has opened up avenues previously unexplored due to prohibitive cost and/or complexity. Printing of inert parts for use in shock property characterization has reached a new level by a…
View article: Development of low-density explosive formulations based on ammonium picrate with slow detonation velocities
Development of low-density explosive formulations based on ammonium picrate with slow detonation velocities Open
Traditional slow detonation velocity (Dv) explosives components, such as Baratol (76% Ba(NO3)2 and 24% TNT), rely on dilution of a traditional explosive with a dense relatively inert material, while some utilize Ca(NO3)2, ZnO or BaCO3. How…
View article: Characterization of detonation and partial detonation of PBX 9501, PBX 9502, and TATB
Characterization of detonation and partial detonation of PBX 9501, PBX 9502, and TATB Open
To further our understanding of chemical reaction pathways occurring during shock loading (sub-detonative and detonative) of plastic bonded explosives (PBXs), post-shock/detonation product species were investigated. Using a contained firin…
View article: PATO IHE DDT Test Series
PATO IHE DDT Test Series Open
This report describes one aspect of our efforts for qualifying PATO as an IHE. Specifically, we tested PATO against the DDT requirements as defined by LA-UR-15-29238 IHE Material Qualification Test Series, Section 1.1. That section states:…
View article: Experiment guided simulation of multi-fragment impact into PBXs
Experiment guided simulation of multi-fragment impact into PBXs Open
Multi-fragment impact of energetic materials can provide the impetus initiation and growth to detonation when shockwaves from these discrete fragments collide. The Sandia hydrocode CTH is used with reactive burn modeling to identify relati…
View article: Synthesis and Evaluation of 3‐Picrylamino‐1,2,4‐Triazole (PATO) Formulations
Synthesis and Evaluation of 3‐Picrylamino‐1,2,4‐Triazole (PATO) Formulations Open
3‐Picrylamino‐1,2,4‐triazole (PATO) is a thermally stable explosive invented at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) almost half a century ago. Despite a rapid and high yielding synthesis, performance data for this promising explosive are…
View article: Rogowski coils for studies of detonator initiation and other diagnostics
Rogowski coils for studies of detonator initiation and other diagnostics Open
Detonators are fundamental to most explosive systems, yet the detonators themselves are rarely diagnosed to determine how well they function or why they fail. To remedy this, various electrical diagnostics were explored, including: Rogowsk…
View article: Initiation of insensitive high explosives using multiple wave interactions
Initiation of insensitive high explosives using multiple wave interactions Open
Insensitive High Explosives (IHEs) increase safety in many types of uses. However, the safety comes at the cost of performance. Initiation of IHE requires large boosters and powerful detonators as well. Multipoint initiation is being utili…
View article: Cover Picture: Nitrate Salt Based Melt Cast Materials (Prop., Explos., Pyrotech. 1/2018)
Cover Picture: Nitrate Salt Based Melt Cast Materials (Prop., Explos., Pyrotech. 1/2018) Open
The cover picture shows a drop weight impact test of a melt castable formulation. The molecular structures of some of the ingredients used to develop environmentally friendly melt castable formulations that could serve as alternatives to T…
View article: Isotope-labeled composition B-3 for tracing detonation signatures
Isotope-labeled composition B-3 for tracing detonation signatures Open
To better understand how solid carbon forms and evolves during detonation, we have prepared Composition B-3 (Comp B) with 13C and 15N-labeled 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX) and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in order to trace th…
View article: Synthesis, formulation and performance evaluation of reduced sensitivity explosives
Synthesis, formulation and performance evaluation of reduced sensitivity explosives Open
Making high explosives that possess insensitivity on par with TATB-based plastic bonded explosives (PBXs), while outperforming them, has proven to be a difficult challenge. Many molecules that have challenged TATB have fallen short in eith…
View article: Characterizing the propensity of hypervelocity metal fragments to initiate plastic bonded explosives
Characterizing the propensity of hypervelocity metal fragments to initiate plastic bonded explosives Open
The off-normal detonation behavior of two plastic-bonded explosive (PBX) formulations was studied using explosively-driven aluminum fragments created by two types of detonators. A generic aluminum-cupped detonator contained 100 mg of PETN …
View article: Inside Cover: Evaluation of the Deuterium Isotope Effect in the Detonation of Aluminum Containing Explosives (Prop., Explos., Pyrotech. 1/2018)
Inside Cover: Evaluation of the Deuterium Isotope Effect in the Detonation of Aluminum Containing Explosives (Prop., Explos., Pyrotech. 1/2018) Open
The inside cover picture shows the expansion of a copper cylinder containing hydrazinium nitrate based explosives, with and without deuterium substitution. Using high-fidelity detonation velocity and wall expansion velocity measurements, t…
View article: Evaluation of the Deuterium Isotope Effect in the Detonation of Aluminum Containing Explosives
Evaluation of the Deuterium Isotope Effect in the Detonation of Aluminum Containing Explosives Open
During or shortly after a detonation in condensed explosives, the reaction rates and the physical mechanism controlling aluminum reaction is poorly understood. We utilize the kinetic isotope effect to probe Al reactions in detonation produ…
View article: Nitrate Salt Based Melt Cast Materials
Nitrate Salt Based Melt Cast Materials Open
Three new low melting compositions have been developed based on the ingredients amino‐1,2,4‐triazolium nitrate, 3,5‐diamino‐1,2,4‐triazolium nitrate and ammonium nitrate, to create the formulation AAD, in addition to mixtures comprising gu…
View article: Development of inert density mock materials for HMX
Development of inert density mock materials for HMX Open
Inert surrogates or mocks for high explosives are commonly used in place of the real material for complex experiments or in situations where safety is a concern. We tested several materials as potential mocks for HMX in terms of density, t…
View article: Steady-state shock-driven reactions in mixtures of nano-sized aluminum and dilute hydrogen peroxide
Steady-state shock-driven reactions in mixtures of nano-sized aluminum and dilute hydrogen peroxide Open
Mixtures of nanoaluminum (nAl) and dilute hydrogen peroxide (HP) were studied to determine their potential to detonate when subjected to explosive shock. Results of explosively driven rate stick experiments revealed steady shock propagatio…
View article: Characterization of hypervelocity metal fragments for explosive initiation
Characterization of hypervelocity metal fragments for explosive initiation Open
The fragment impact response of two plastic-bonded explosive (PBX) formulations was studied using explosively driven aluminum fragments. A generic aluminum-capped detonator generated sub-mm aluminum particles moving at hypersonic velocitie…
View article: Energetic salt of trinitrophloroglucinol and melamine
Energetic salt of trinitrophloroglucinol and melamine Open
We hope to harness the field of energetic co-crystals for development of insensitive, high-performing explosives. As demonstrated by other groups, co-crystals of energetic materials are diverse in their resultant properties versus the nati…
View article: Characterization of diacetone diperoxide (DADP)
Characterization of diacetone diperoxide (DADP) Open
To date, diacetone diperoxide (DADP) has been significantly less studied than its well-known counterpart, triacetone triperoxide (TATP). Much of this disparity in the literature is due to the harsher conditions/multi-step syntheses require…