NASA Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

eversible and irreversible growth behavior and to verify consistency between our measurements and those made historically,
measurements were performed on billet pressed LX17-1, on die pressed TATB, and on KEL-F alone. It is important to realize
that, for materials involving TATB, expansionary behavior results from the combined effects of reversible and irreversible
(ratchet growth) phenomena.
NTIS
Binders (Materials); Anisotropy; Growth
20040050321 Lawrence Livermore National Lab., Livermore, CA, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, USA
Perspectives on Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) Decomposition
Chambers, D. M.; Brackett, C. L.; Sparkman, O. D.; Jul. 01, 2002; 24 pp.; In English
Report No.(s): DE2004-15005943; UCRL-JC-148956; No Copyright; Avail: Department of Energy Information Bridge
This report evaluates the large body of work involving the decomposition of PETN and identifies the major decomposition
routes and byproducts. From these studies it becomes apparent that the PETN decomposition mechanisms and the resulting
byproducts are primarily determined by the chemical environment. In the absence of water, PETN can decompose through the
scission of the O-NO2 bond resulting in the formation of an alkoxy radical and NO2. Because of the relatively high reactivity
of both these initial byproducts, they are believed to drive a number of autocatalytic reactions eventually forming
(NO2OCH2)3CCHO, (NO2OCH2)2C=CHONO2, NO2OCH=C=CHONO2, (NO2OCH2)3C-NO2, (NO2OCH2)2C(NO2)2,
NO2OCH2C(NO2)3, and C(NO2)4 as well as polymer-like species such as di-PEHN and tri-PEON. Surprisingly, the products
of many of these proposed autocatalytic reactions have never been analytically validated. Conversely, in the presence of water,
PETN has been shown to decompose primarily to mono, di, and tri nitrates of pentaerythritol.
NTIS
Explosives; Petn; Decomposition
20040050386 Lawrence Livermore National Lab., Livermore, CA
Computational Simulations of High Intensity X-Ray Interaction
London, R. A.; Bionta, R. M.; Tatchyn, R. O.; Roesler, S.; Aug. 02, 2001; 18 pp.; In English
Report No.(s): DE2004-15006293; UCRL-JC-142074; No Copyright; Avail: Department of Energy Information Bridge
Free electron lasers have the promise of producing extremely high-intensity short pulses of coherent, monochromatic
radiation in the 1-10 keV energy range. For example, the Linac Coherent Light Source at Stanford is being designed to produce
an output intensity of 2 x 10(sup 14) W/cm(sup 2) in a 230 fs pulse. These sources will open the door to many novel research
studies. However, the intense x-ray pulses may damage the optical components necessary for studying and controlling the
output. At the full output intensity, the dose to optical components at normal incidence ranges from 1-10 eV/atom for low-Z
materials (Z