Time-resolved Flash X-ray Diffraction of Aluminized High Explosives

Aluminum (Al) is used as an additive in high explosives (HEs) to increase reaction temperatures and increase the overall work output but the pathway and time scale for Al reaction behind the detonation front is not well understood. Previous studies have analyzed the effects of Al content on HE performance in cylinder expansion tests, but direct observation of Al reaction in the detonation reaction zone (DRZ) is difficult because of the fine temporal and spatial resolutions required. In this talk we describe our progress in designing a benchtop flash x-ray diffraction (XRD) diagnostic for probing Al phase changes in aluminized HE at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Lab-scale Asynchronous Radiography System (LARS) facility. Results of static molten metal XRD experiments will be presented. Future experimental design ideas will be discussed to enable the use of benchtop time-resolved dynamic XRD to probe reactions on nanosecond timescales in the DRZ.