R. Meyer J. Köhler A. Homburg Explosives

69 Cylinder Expansion Test
energy of formation: +417.9 kcal/kg = +1748.4 kJ/kg
enthalpy of formation: +392.4 kcal/kg = +1641.7 kJ/kg
oxygen balance: –55.1%
nitrogen content: 48.28%
volume of explosion gases: 996 l/kg
heat of explosion
(H2O liq.): 1081 kcal/kg = 4525 kJ/kg
(H2O gas): 1051 kcal/kg = 4397 kJ/kg
density: 1.508 g/cm 3
melting point: 102 °C = 216°F
heat of fusion: 5.2 kcal/kg = 22 kJ/kg
detonation velocity, confined:
7300 m/s = 24000ft/s at r = 1.49 g/cm 3
Cyclotrimethylene trinitrosamine is soluble in acetone, alcohol chloroform
and benzene, and is sparingly soluble in water.
This nitroso compound, which is related to Hexogen, is prepared by
treating hexamethylenetetramine with alkali metal nitrites in a dilute
acid solution.
Since concentrated acid is not required in the preparation, large-scale
manufacture of the product, under the name of R-salt, was under
active consideration at one time during the Second World War. However,
even though easily prepared and powerful, the explosive has not
yet been used in practice owing to its limited chemical and thermal
stability.
Cylinder Expansion Test
Experimental method to measure the effectiveness of an explosive.
The radial expansion on detonation of a metallic cylinder (usually
copper) filled with a high explosive is observed. A streak camera or a
laser method might be used. The detonation velocity is determined
simultaneously, using for example time-of-arrival pins. The W Equation
of State (EOS) which is often the Jones-Wilkins-Lee (JWL) EOS
of the detonation products is derived using Gurney theory.