Detonation Performance and Product Equation of State for the Extrudable Explosive XTX 8004

The high explosive XTX 8004 is an extrudable formulation consisting of two different particle size distributions of 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX) mixed intimately with Sylgard 182 silicone binder. The weight proportions of the mixture are 40 wt.\% RDX (Grade 2, Class E), 40 wt.\% RDX (Micronized), 20 wt.\% Sylgard 182. The ability to extrude and mold XTX 8004 makes it well suited for a large range of applications and for use in investigating detonation behavior in complex geometries.

In this study, two different lots of XTX 8004 were investigated and compared. The samples were created using hydraulic ram pressed rectangular slabs, pressed into custom designed acrylic molds. The mold design produced samples of proper density, consistent thickness, and with minimal defects. The work presented will expand the available model options for XTX 8004 through the calibration of a programmed burn detonation-shock-dynamics (DSD) model along with a Jones-Wilkins-Lee (JWL) product equation of state (EOS). The DSD model parameters were determined by measuring the steady-state detonation speed and shock front curvature in rectangular slabs of XTX 8004 with varying thicknesses. The JWL EOS parameters were calibrated using a copper-confined slab of XTX 8004, utilizing Photon Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) to capture the expansion velocity of the confinement plates.