Seeking the RS-PBXs allowing for higher performance of inertial confinement: EDA research and technology project "RSEM"

Controlling the spatially localized kinetic instabilities in the Detonation Reaction Zone (DRZ) 3D-structures provides a new way for designing reduced sensitivity PBX formulations (RS-PBX) destined for application in precise insensitive munitions using the cumulated energy of the explosively-driven inertial confinement (IC). Novel concept implies in improving the DRZ homogeneity in the RS-PBXs (providing minimization of the DRZ-induced local perturbation in the IC), by way of assembling the selected coarse RS-He particles with the fine-grained suspension of the RS-HE in Binder, which formulation is pre-determined on the criterion of minimum kinetic disequilibrium in the detonation conversion zone. Novel concept is currently under the extensive study conducted by researchers of Coimbra University (PT),Fraunhofer ICT (DE), ISL (DE/FR) and MBDA ITALIA (IT) in terms of the EDA Research Project "RSEM - The Reduced Sensitivity Energetic Materials for the Higher Performance of the Inertial Confinement". Paper describes technical approach for implementation of the advanced HMX-based RS-PBXs.