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8223991 
Meetings & Symposia 
Laser recoil response of HMX, RDX, N5, GAP/BTTN and others from 1 to 6 atmospheres 
Finlinson, JC 
1997 
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA 
English 
HMX and RDX pellets were pressed and tested in the laser recoil device at pressures from 1 to 6 atm. The laser flux had an average power of 31 W/cm2, with sinusoidal oscillations from 15 to 43 W/cm2. A pressure insensitive force transducer obtained from Zarko was used in these tests. The force transducer has a resonant frequency at 160 Hz, but performs well at frequencies below 100 Hz. Samples inhibited with halocarbon grease, and with glass tubing were compared. HMX showed twice the response amplitude of RDX. Both HMX and RDX have a broad flat response. In contrast with the previously measured N5 double base propellant, the recoil response of neither HMX nor RDX changed significantly with pressure up to 60 psia. Burn rate vs. laser flux was measured for HMX, RDX and N5 up to 60 W/cm2 at 13.7 and 60 psia. At one atmosphere the rate vs. flux slope of HMX and RDX is about the same, but N5 is 3 times. Other ingredients tested include GAP, GAP/BTTN, NMMO gumstocks, BAMO pellets, and IRQ minimum smoke propellant. GAP and BAMO would not burn with a stable flame, but chuffed large puffs of nitrogen. NMMO ignited readily, but did not produce force oscillations. GAP/BTTN had a very high unstable laser recoil response, even bigger than N5 double base propellant, which did not decrease significantly with pressure. © 1997 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.