Lee Gibson

Embedded optical probes for simultaneous pressure and temperature measurement of materials in extreme conditions

We present recent efforts at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to develop sensors for simultaneous, in situ pressure and temperature measurements under dynamic conditions by using an all-optical fiber-based approach. While similar tests have been done previously in deflagration-to-detonation tests (DDT), where pressure and temperature were measured to 82 kbar and 400°C simultaneously, here we demonstrate the use of embedded fiber grating sensors to obtain high temporal resolution, in situ pressure measurements in inert materials. We present two experimental demonstrations of pressure measurements: (1) under precise shock loading from a gas-gun driven plate impact and (2) under high explosive driven shock in a water filled vessel. The system capitalizes on existing telecom components and fast transient digitizing recording technology. It operates as a relatively inexpensive embedded probe (single-mode 1550 nm fiber-based Bragg grating) that provides a continuous fast pressure record during shock and/or detonation. By applying well-controlled shock wave pressure profiles to these inert materials, we study the dynamic pressure response of embedded fiber Bragg gratings to extract pressure amplitude of the shock wave and compare our results with particle velocity wave profiles measured simultaneously.

One dimensional shock initiation of hot isostatically pressed composition B

Twelve one dimensional shock experiments have been carried out on the UK isostatically pressed Composition B (59.5% RDX, 39.5% TNT, 1% wax) comprising of seven sustained pulse experiments and three short shock experiments using the embedded gauge technique at the Los Alamos National Laboratory gas gun facility. The evolution of the reactive growth at and behind the shock front has been measured along with the run to detonation distance. Two low pressure experiments have also been carried out to obtain non-reactive equation of state data. These data have been used to create the Pop plot and Hugoniot states for the UK Comp B. The shock initiation behavior of the UK Comp B has been compared to that of the equivalent US composition. The reactive growth shows a feature that was observed in the US composition in which the wave profiles display a high level of pre-detonation noise. This was hypothesized to be due to a piezoelectric effect in the RDX crystals. The results of these experiments have shown that this effect may be localized in the e phase at shock pressures in the region of 4.15 GPa and above.Twelve one dimensional shock experiments have been carried out on the UK isostatically pressed Composition B (59.5% RDX, 39.5% TNT, 1% wax) comprising of seven sustained pulse experiments and three short shock experiments using the embedded gauge technique at the Los Alamos National Laboratory gas gun facility. The evolution of the reactive growth at and behind the shock front has been measured along with the run to detonation distance. Two low pressure experiments have also been carried out to obtain non-reactive equation of state data. These data have been used to create the Pop plot and Hugoniot states for the UK Comp B. The shock initiation behavior of the UK Comp B has been compared to that of the equivalent US composition. The reactive growth shows a feature that was observed in the US composition in which the wave profiles display a high level of pre-detonation noise. This was hypothesized to be due to a piezoelectric effect in the RDX crystals. The results of these experiments have shown that this...

Shock initiation and detonation properties of bisfluorodinitroethyl formal (FEFO)

FEFO is a liquid explosive with a density of 1.60 g/cm3 and an energy output similar to that of trinitrotoluene (TNT), making it one of the more energetic liquid explosives. Here we describe shock initiation experiments that were conducted using a two-stage gas gun using magnetic gauges to measure the wave profiles during a shock-to-detonation transition. Unreacted Hugoniot data, time-to detonation (overtake) measurements, and reactive wave profiles were obtained from each experiment. FEFO was found to initiate by the homogeneous initiation model, similar to all other liquid explosives we have studied (nitromethane, isopropyl nitrate, hydrogen peroxide). The new unreacted Hugoniot points agree well with other published data. A universal liquid Hugoniot estimation slightly under predicts the measured Hugoniot data. FEFO is very insensitive, with about the same shock sensitivity as the triamino-trinitro-benzene (TATB)-based explosive PBX9502 and cast TNT.