Paper TF+SE-TuM5
Detonation in Vapor-deposited Explosive Films at the Micro-scale

Tuesday, November 11, 2014, 9:20 am, Room 305

Recent advances in physical vapor deposition of explosive materials have led to films that are capable of detonating at thicknesses smaller than 100 microns. The critical thickness needed to sustain detonation can be reduced even further (down to a few tens of microns) by confining the explosive with thin layers of a dense, inert material. The ability to sustain detonation at such small length scales opens the potential for such films to be integrated into micro-scale systems using standard micro/nanofabrication methods for use in actuation, gas generation, or similar functions. In this work, we present vapor-deposited hexanitroazobenzene (HNAB) and copper films as a model system to study the effects of confinement on the detonation properties of secondary explosives. Both the HNAB and copper confinement layers are vapor-deposited to promote intimate contact between the explosive and confinement and to provide precise control over both layer thicknesses and microstructure. Confinement thickness is varied to determine the minimum necessary to behave as though the confinement was effectively infinite, and the effects on detonation properties are quantified. In addition to the practical impact of these experiments, identification of the minimum effectively infinite confinement condition can provide insight into the kinetics of the detonation reaction.