Improving the Physical Characteristics of RDX/DOS/PIB Paste Explosive by Optimizing the Amounts of Different Classes of RDX Using the Experimental Design-Response Surface Method

Physical properties are among the quality control characteristic of paste explosives. Optimizing the proportional amounts of component in a composite paste explosive can have a significant effect on improving the physical properties. In this research, the effect of the amounts of different classes of RDX with different particle sizes distribution is studied on the physical properties (plasticity, density and binder leakage) of paste explosive RDX/DOS/PIB (90:2.5:7.5). The experimental design - response surface method was used to optimize the amount of each classes of RDX. The particle size distribution of RDX classes has been investigated by FE-SEM method. The average size of RDX particles in classes 1, 3 and 5 were obtained as 144.9, 441 and 3.6 microns, respectively. Plasticity of 0.029, density of 1.513 g/cm3 and the binder leakage of 0.034% are obtained for the optimal amounts of 52.5, 7.5 and 30 grams of RDX from classes 1, 3 and 5 respectively, in 100 gram sample of the proposed paste explosive.