The Role of Soot Formation in TATB Detonation

The detonation of (CHNO)-based insensitive high explosives (IHEs) yields carbon-rich soots, the formation of which may increase the reaction zone compared to conventional high explosives. In particular, triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB)-based IHEs produce soots with a relatively large nitrogen content, which may further affect explosive performance by attenuating energy release during detonation. The composition and thermodynamic properties of TATB-based soots are still under investigation. Therefore, to assess the validity of thermochemical codes, which rely on experimental and theoretical measurements of these properties, it is of interest to perform a sensitivity analysis on the effects of soot properties on detonation response. In this work, we use recent measurements of soot composition, in conjunction with the thermochemical code Cheetah, to examine the sensitivity of soot parameters on measures of detonation performance, including the detonation velocity and Chapman-Jouguet pressure. These results will inform future experimental and theoretical efforts towards enhancing the predictive capabilities of thermochemical calculations.