Basics of Energetic Materials

Energetic materials refer to materials with a high amount of stored chemical energy, such as propellants, explosives, pyrotechnic (PEP) compositions, and other fuel/oxidizer mixtures. Energetic materials are characterized by their ability to initiate a reaction from an energy stimulus and propagation and effect characteristics after ignition.
 

This training course is designed to provide participants with the basic behaviors of energetic materials, with a focus on explosives. This course will discuss topics such as how energetic materials burn or detonate, the effects of detonation, and how they may respond to extreme environments, key terminologies defining the materials and behaviors, and handling issues related to processing, fabrication, and testing aspects of explosives work.

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the different energetic materials, such as pyrotechnics, propellants, and explosives
• Recognize the differences in sensitivity and handling practices of primary and secondary energetic materials
• Identify the essential characteristics that make a material an explosive
• Know the differences between detonation, deflagration (“low-order”), and combustion
• List some of the most common industrial explosives and some typical improvised explosive fillers
• Understand what shock and detonation waves are, and how material flows behind a shock
• Appreciate how material stiffness affects shock and impact coupling into other materials
• Identify the reason for detonation failure in small columns of explosives, and know how that
• Distinguish between high-power vs. low-power explosive components, and know of safety issues with both
• Understand the basic characteristics of air blast and how it loads structures