Physical model for shock-wave initiation of detonation in pressed fine crystalline explosives

A physical model is proposed for the reaction kinetics of heterogeneous explosives under shockwave initiation of detonation. The model is based on the assumption that the molecular crystals of the explosive materials have semiconductor properties. The model can account for the experimentally observed strong dependence of the shock-wave sensitivity of pressed explosives on their initial density and temperature. The proposed model can be checked by measuring the band gaps of triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB) and comparing with the value of 40 kcal/mole obtained in the present study from an analysis of explosion experiments. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7850(98)01810-2].